Customer profile
What was the name of your video store?
Alameda Video store
Where was the store located?
Hialeah, Florida (United States)
When did you start shopping at this store?
1988
Describe your video store - what did it look like? What were its distinguishing
features?
It was a big store with an arcade in the back the first time i played Mortal kombat was in this store. Something that impressed me at the time were the rolling shelves full of videos hundreds of movies just there looking at me.
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?
Getting shouted at by the cuban lady who worked there for walking into adults only and getting my first peek at hardcore porn off one of the boxes. I was 10 at the time
What other services/products did the store offer besides the rental or sale
of videos? Did this change over time?
the arcade, a popcorn machine, the ADULTS only section and there really never was a change it just closed one day...=(
What video formats did the store offer (i.e. VHS, Beta, Laserdisc)? Where were
different formats kept in the store?
VHS, Beta and Laserdisc
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?
childrens videos were my faves they had all the cartoons from the 60's like spider-man and birdman, thinking back these were near the window the farther from the window the more adult things got action,horror,terror, faces of death..right up to that magical place with saloon doors and the sign that read adults.
Did you tend to rent or buy videos? Why?
rent. i had a membership card and liked flashing it off. I was 10...
During the period that you shopped at this store, what changes did you see?
none, unless you count the rotation of the arcade games and my trip farther away from the window like back into the terror section. no physical changes
Is this store still open? If not, when did it close?
nope went awol in 1994
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?
my parents brought it home one day along with some fantastic 4 videos for me and the dirtbike kid for my brother from there on it was all rental
Did you ever rent a VCR or other hardware (a camera, for instance)? If so,
how often and why?
nope never