Just as video killed the radio star, now Netflix is killing the video store. And I most certainly do not feel fine about this.
Don’t get me wrong. I love Netflix in some ways. I recently enrolled in their “program” and have been immersed in a steady stream of semi-current movies. In the evenings when I run out of tasks to do (which happens frequently) and am too tired to read a book, I’ll frequently find myself scrolling through their selection of films, trying to decide whether I feel more like watching Doogie Howser (aka Neil Patrick Harris) eat shrooms and drive around the South in Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay or witness the latest “terrible” comic book adaptation in The Last Airbender. Shudder.
It’s cheap (around $8 a month) and it’s easy as pie. In fact I was so complacent in my video watching that I almost missed a short article in the Globe and Mail one weekend announcing the imminent closure of Videomatica – a signature video dealer in Kits. Videomatic was known far and wide as the place to go to get the movies you couldn’t find anywhere else. Their selection was extensive – so extensive in fact – that apparently a decent portion of their collection will likely be preserved – hopefully by Herman Wosk (of the Wosk Centre) simply because it can’t really be replicated anywhere else. It was harder to miss a recent article that game out today in the Vancouver Sun proclaiming the close 146 Blockbuster stores across the country. The demise of both Blockbuster and Videomatica tell a sad story of the gradual demise of the video store.
I have my own neighbourhood version of Videomatica. It’s called Black Dog Video. There are many things that endear Black Dog Video to me. Here are some of the reasons:
1. The dudes that work their are chill, helpful and “educated” in the subject of good films
2. Their mascot is a black dog
3. They publish a wicked by-monthly newsletter that gives me great tips for what I should be watching and makes me chuckle out loud about what I shouldn’t be watching.
4. You get paw prints each time you rent a movie
5. They are dog friendly and even have tasty treats for your mutt should you bring them into the store
6. Their selection is extensive. They carry all sorts of terrific foreign films that you’d never see at a glitzed up Blockbuster
7. Their shop is close by to Vera’s burgers and the Liquor Store – sort of a one stop shop for a movie night
8. If you have ridiculous late fees you may find (some of them) forgiven
9. They aren’t a chain (well, they have 2 locations so they sort of are, but you know what I mean)
10. They are known far and wide in the community.
Black Dog, like hundreds of other small video stores around the province, is in danger of going out of business in the coming years thanks to the growing power and consumer buy in of content-on-demand being led by companies like Netflix. They have a difficult time competing, both in price and convenience. If they do disappear, they are likely to leave a big gap in our communities and take with them the opportunity to discover a film we might never had considered searching for or might never have found without a friendly recommendation from a staff member.
This could be a real tragedy, both for Black Dog community lovers and film buffs. While the selection of Netflix is likely to continue to expand and be augmented by other on-demand sites, there’s something to be said about the corporeal existence the old way of picking a film. Like the movie theatres, there is something special about going to the movie store, browsing the titles and heading home in anticipation that would be missing by just punching a bunch of buttons. I guess we’ll soon see whether this “certain special something” is enough to compete with cheaper prices and more convenience. I hope so, but I suspect not.
It’s a difficult situation for video stores. Happy Bats (the Main St. Black Dog) just closed its doors. Nina and I went there when we first moved into the neighbourhood, but the price was too much. $5.63 to rent a DVD for one night just isn’t good value, especially when it’s an old rental that you watch on a whim (Three Amigos, in my case).
Nina signed up for Netflix, and while the movie selection is limited, I’ve discovered a lot of interesting older movies, but mostly I’ve gotten hooked on excellent British tv. And I can rent one disc with three episodes on it for $6, or I can watch entire series (and much more) for $8 per month.
I thought Happy Bats would survive, and it might have if its landlord hadn’t kicked them out.
Bookstores, I imagine, are going to start to feel the same pressure now that ebooks are becoming so widespread. Apparently Amazon are selling more ebooks than real books this year.
If they were beter busineses they’d stilll be opmn. Get with the times and the free market ppl.
Krty your al aboiujuuyt the fcapitalist buisiness! Everything woill be webbasred soon because its better and cheaper and that’s what pople want! Fastyer too and I have to get back to it go Netflicks!!!
– REAL PETE
We are resisting Netflix almost entirely because of Black Dog. Plus, I kinda like the fact that it’s a ~15 minute walk, each way, to get a movie. It’s a bit more of a treat- a special occassion.
BTW – your reason number 5 (the dog friendliness) is really reason number 1! Wombat thinks that we go there to buy her biscuits, and we get a DVD as a treat.
Totally agree with you Julian, except here on Main Street we don’t have Black Dog to patronize. We have a Blockbuster that is struggling just as mightily. And, well, Brenton I have to disagree with you (even though I do agree that how the collection agency is parading Happy Bats’s financial shortcomings for all to see is mean-spirited). Saying that the landlord “kicked them out” is a little off, don’t you think? After all, they were nearly 33K behind in rent payments. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I am leaning towards 2.7% agreement with “Peyte” – the Happy Bats team had some big shortcomings with their business model and how it doesn’t quite relate to our brave new world.
Also, a fun fact, Netflix manages employee vacations using the honour system.
– JCH
Happy Bats owe 33k in rent? Yowzah.
Good article. It’s a sad state of affairs with the old video stores these days. Hopefully they will be around for years to come. There really is no replacement. They will be missed when they are gone. Netflix kinda sucks. Hopefully they will be gone soon (I’ve heard rumblings).
I have nor idea what Peyte is trying to say. Is that internet speak?
Oh and the “wicked bi-monthly newsletter” is actually a weekly thingy.
Darren, thanks for the kudos and the correction!
Kurt
My pleasure. Great article.
This is tmly cause of Blcbustre going down but Netflix wil never replave torrents manb.
The hole game is changing!!b!
– PeTE