Customer profile
What was the name of your video store?
Audio Plus
Where was the store located?
DeKalb, Illinois (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?
Since video and rentals were new, the video store was in an audio equipment store. Half was converted to video. It was a pretty big space and they had a wide selection. The video part eventually took over and it became Video Plus. I was a kid in grade school when it first started renting videos. They had a huge animation/kid section. I also remember the large horror selection. I guess there was a great demand for horror movie rentals. (DeKalb is a college town - NIU) I also wandered into the back-room one time to see why it was in the back. I was just a kid so I didn't grasp the concept of porno, but there were a lot of tapes. So even in the early years adult movies were requested for private viewing. There were some movie posters and some cardboard dislays similar to those used in the movie theater down the street.
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?
I honestly don't remember a single clerk or manager.
What other services/products did the store offer besides the rental or sale
of videos? Did this change over time?
Like I said, audio equipment, then complete video dominance.
What video formats did the store offer (i.e. VHS, Beta, Laserdisc)? Where were
different formats kept in the store?
Beta and VHS. They weren't really grouped by type but by movie. So if I wanted Raiders of the Lost Ark, both formats would be there if the store could get both types. This way the customer didn't have to worry about what machine they owned.
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?
As earlier, good kids section, fully stocked porno room in the back. Dad got some porn (not always), I got a lot of kids videos. But my parents regular movies.
Did you tend to rent or buy videos? Why?
Mostly rent then. My aunt bought Raiders of the Lost Ark for $100. Buying movies was extremely expensive then. It was a few years before tapes went down to $15-$20. So my family mostly rented and bought blank tapes.
During the period that you shopped at this store, what changes did you see?
The steady conversion to a full-on video store and video equipment.
Is this store still open? If not, when did it close?
It changed location, then owners, then went out in the early 90s, I'd say 90 or 91.
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?
Betamax, 1985 at a family appliance and tv store that has since burned down. We wanted to watch movies and record television shows, the beta was also cable ready. Shortly after we got a VHS that was part of a movie camera package (you actually had to lug around a major part of the VCR with the camera to take movies - Pre camcorder).
Did you ever rent a VCR or other hardware (a camera, for instance)? If so,
how often and why?
n/a