The Day the Video Store Died...

There was once a time where Friday and Saturday nights were movie night. Blockbusters, Hollywood Videos, and Movie Gallerys would be packed. There would be a full staff of 5 or 6 people working, and that still wouldn't be enough to handle the crowds. The video store was the place to go, and if you ever where unsure about what to rent, the staff was there to help you out with a suggestion. Now, the video store is becoming obsolete. There is no need for them with red box and with on demand you don't even have to leave your house. Great right? No late fees, no driving to return anything in a hurry before midnight, it is simple easy and convenient.  The question I asked myself is if this really is a good thing?

I worked at a video store for 6 years. It was my first and only job from 16-22. I loved it. I loved the people I worked with (my best friendships were formed here), the people that came in were always so much fun, and I was able to learn things about movies that I never would have had I not worked there. There is something that becomes lost with the red box and on demand: the human factor. 

Something that this world has become so afraid of anymore is actual human interaction. We don't ever have to talk face to face if we didn't want to. Our customers would come in and we would have actual conversations. We knew people by name, we knew things about their lives and their families. When people we would see on a regular basis didn't come in for awhile, we would become concerned. We talked face to face and nobody imploded. I like to think that sometimes we helped to make someone's day a little better. Don't get me wrong... there were those moments that made me want to smash my head through a window, and those people that just are looking for a fight, but that comes with human interaction. 

I really also think that the movie industry is suffering from the loss of the video store. No, I don't mean from a monetary standpoint, but from a creative standpoint. There were so many times that we would get a shipment of movies in and there were at least 3 or  4 smaller titled movies. I discovered so many indie films. I would watch them and suggest them to people. So many times people would come back and tell me how much they loved the movie and they would have never picked it up if I didn't suggest that. You don't get that from red box or on demand. I think that many indie films become lost and forgotten about now. Those smaller movies don't have a chance.

I guess what I am trying to say is that it does make me sad to think that one day there is not going to really be a need for a video store as I know them. What is so wrong with that little bit of human interaction?