Customer profile
What was the name of your video store?
I don't remember
Where was the store located?
Gardena, California (United States)
When did you start shopping at this store?
1985
Describe your video store - what did it look like? What were its distinguishing
features?
It was kind of big and spacious... as if they were expecting more movies to show up to evenutally fill the space. None of the video boxes contained the tapes. You had to bring the box up to the counter and have the clerk go to the back to find the tape.
What were the employees and/or owners like, and what kinds of interactions
did you have with them? What particularly memorable exchanges or events
do you remember?
The owners were Asian. After a view visits, they knew your face (but always had to look up your name to make sure your "membership" was paid up to date.
What other services/products did the store offer besides the rental or sale
of videos? Did this change over time?
Other services: You could rent a VCR if you didn't have one. The deposit was about $150... the rental was about $25 for the evening. I always remember thinking, "For that price, just go see a movie at the theatre." They had Beta tapes. They were one of the first stores I remember that had video games to rent.
What video formats did the store offer (i.e. VHS, Beta, Laserdisc)? Where were
different formats kept in the store?
They had VHS and Beta but I don't remember any Laserdisc. The formats were kept separately. Beta had a tiny section on a side wall.
In addition to mainstream Hollywood movies, what other kinds of videotapes
(for example children's, exercise, or X-rated) did the store rent/sell? Where were these
videos found in the store, and how often did you rent or purchase them?
I remember a children's section, exercise section, mucicals section, horror, action, .... I don't really remember an X-rated section, but then again, I was rather young when we started going to this store.
Did you tend to rent or buy videos? Why?
Rent. It was MUCH cheaper. Back in the day, to buy a video, you had to shell out about $100. To rent, the price was about $2 per night. I never thought I would watch a movie that much to warrant the $100 price tag.
During the period that you shopped at this store, what changes did you see?
More poster decoration over time.
Is this store still open? If not, when did it close?
I don't know when it closed. I moved away and when I came back, it was gone.
In your own words, tell the story of your first VCR/video player. Where
and when did you buy it, and why did you decide to make the purchase?
Honestly, I don't know. I was young when my parents got one. I think we got one for Christmas. I do remember that at my cousin Pete's house, they had a Beta player and we always had to go out of our way to find the movie we wanted to play in it.
Did you ever rent a VCR or other hardware (a camera, for instance)? If so,
how often and why?
Nope.