Customer profile
What was the name of your video store?
Video Den
Where was the store located?
Charles Town, West Virginia (United States)
When did you start shopping at this store?
1994
Describe your video store - what did it look like? What were its distinguishing
features?
Typical. Premieres along walls. Older movies by categories in middle. Snacks available near check out. Turnstiles at entrance/exit
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?
Varied. Some helpful, usually older employees. Some bored and indifferent, usually younger employees. One woman and I had 10-15 minute conversation because she knew someone with the same unusual last name as mine.
What other services/products did the store offer besides the rental or sale
of videos? Did this change over time?
Snacks. Over time video games,
What video formats did the store offer (i.e. VHS, Beta, Laserdisc)? Where were
different formats kept in the store?
VHS, DVD
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?
Independent films, childrens, mature, wrestling
Did you tend to rent or buy videos? Why?
Rent. Not in happen of watching the same movies, even my favorites, over and over and over and over....
During the period that you shopped at this store, what changes did you see?
DVDs releases added and becoming more popular than VHS. Video games added
Is this store still open? If not, when did it close?
Still open
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?
1986, a few months after I moved out of my parents house. Probably purchased from K-mart. Wanted to rent movies, record TV shows when I wasn't home, and record one TV show while wathcing another.
Did you ever rent a VCR or other hardware (a camera, for instance)? If so,
how often and why?
Yes, once in high school. A group of friends were staying overnight at one house in early 1980s. They didn't have a VCR so we rented one and about a half-dozen movies