Customer profile
What was the name of your video store?
Bob's Video
Where was the store located?
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (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?
Located in a stripmall, Bob's Video was small but had a pretty good independent film/anime selection.
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?
Bob was about fifty but he hired a young staff...I knew one of the guys that worked there.
What other services/products did the store offer besides the rental or sale
of videos? Did this change over time?
I think they sold yogurt as well.
What video formats did the store offer (i.e. VHS, Beta, Laserdisc)? Where were
different formats kept in the store?
I think they carried just VHS (that is what I was shopping for, anyway).
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?
they had the mainstream fare but also a good selection of horror movies, anime, independent and some international titles as well.
Did you tend to rent or buy videos? Why?
Anime and horror...I was in college at the time taking film and animation classes. Besides, these are the types of movies I like.
During the period that you shopped at this store, what changes did you see?
It remained the same while I went there
Is this store still open? If not, when did it close?
It may still be open for all I know.
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 first VCR was the VCR my dad bought in 1981-1982. It was a top load recorder and I remember it being really heavy. It may be the way things were made back then but I swear it had a 'warm' feeling to the recordings.
Did you ever rent a VCR or other hardware (a camera, for instance)? If so,
how often and why?
I have never rented a VCR but I have rented a camera for a school project.