Customer profile
What was the name of your video store?
Video Blitz
Where was the store located?
Mesa, Arizona (United States)
When did you start shopping at this store?
1986
Describe your video store - what did it look like? What were its distinguishing
features?
Dirty and smelly. It had the traditional 70's decor and the lure of the "adult" section behind the beaded curtain.
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 employees looked like they were wasting time between marathon speed sessions.
What other services/products did the store offer besides the rental or sale
of videos? Did this change over time?
Just videos.
What video formats did the store offer (i.e. VHS, Beta, Laserdisc)? Where were
different formats kept in the store?
VHS and beta were included. The beta section never grew bigger than one isle. I remember when Laserdisc came and they were displayed liked records.
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?
Porn Section
Did you tend to rent or buy videos? Why?
Rent, because I was a poor kid.
During the period that you shopped at this store, what changes did you see?
I don't remember any changes
Is this store still open? If not, when did it close?
No... It closed in the early nineties.
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?
Parents bought the first one. An $850 Fisher front loader with the digital clock. It must have been 82 or 83. My parents were late getting into the game but we got a fancy one when we got one.
Did you ever rent a VCR or other hardware (a camera, for instance)? If so,
how often and why?
No