A few copies would remain on the shelf or return to the warehouse to help stock the new stores.īlockbuster Video was now humming along and growing. New films came in, and older movies were sold off as "previously viewed" titles. To make video nights at home special, branded microwave popcorn, soda pop, and "movie-size" boxes of candy were displayed near the checkout counter. They would suggest titles for customers to try out or filmmakers they might enjoy. That meant multiple trips back to the store to return them on time. You might decide to pick up both an older film - due back in a week - and a new title due back in three days. He spread new films along the back wall to give customers room to browse.
#STORY BLOCK VIDEOS MOVIE#
Using data gleaned from his computer system, Cook catered each store's movie inventory to local demographics and tastes. The company worked in volume, buying enough copies of new releases to meet demand. Stores had an identity: bright, stocked, and nearly identical across the country. The turn-key operation provided movies from a warehouse, computer systems, and a recognized brand. They stayed open until midnight when other stores closed early.Ĭook also began franchising the new business. Three-day rentals meant customers would pick up two or three movies for the weekend, not just one. Proof of identity and a debit or credit card was needed to get one.
Embedded RFID tags stopped customers from walking out with them. Instead of keeping the movies behind the counter, renters picked tapes off the shelf. The logo and the store's color scheme, bright lighting, and family-friendly vibe were key parts of the brand.Ĭook put bar codes on each case and film. He incorporated Blockbuster Video and opened the first store in Dallas with 10,000 movies. Overdue fees helped to pay the up-front costs.Ĭook's ideas, borne from his background in computer systems, modernized the movie rental business.Īfter first trying with a regional chain (that company didn't care for his corporate colors and branding ideas), Cook decided to do things himself. There was also no tracking system, just a ledger of who rented what. Still, these stores had a limited selection of titles kept behind the counter. Small mom-and-pop stores and regional video store chains bought the pricey movies and rented them out for a day or a week. One new movie could cost $100, keeping many families out of the VHS market.Įntrepreneurs seized this opportunity. Why rent a video and not just buy it? The prices for new movies on VHS were steep back then.
#STORY BLOCK VIDEOS SOFTWARE#
His wife, Sandy Cook, wanted to open a video rental store and get out of the software business. How did Blockbuster Video get its start?ĭavid Cook was selling software to Texas oil companies, but things weren't going well. This is how we remember our Blockbusters. The store attracts big crowds and is abuzz with customers on weekend nights. It features a movie ticket stub, ripped on one side, just like when you go into a movie theater. The world-recognized Blockbuster Video logo is on display outside and in. The colors are vibrant blue and sunny yellow. How well do you remember the rise and fall of Blockbuster? This is the story of how a brand and its recognizable logo went from everywhere to a single storefront in less than three decades. Ironically, the documentary streamed on Netflix. You may still have a membership card tucked away in a wallet or a drawer at home.Īccording to the film The Last Blockbuster, as of 2021, there is now a single store left in Bend, Oregon. We also remember late fees, Make it a Blockbuster Night, and "Be Kind, Rewind" stickers on rental tapes.
We remember going to the video store on the weekend to pick up movies. They lived through the rise of the video rental chain and all the way to its demise, too. Many people remember how Blockbuster went from one of the largest movie rental businesses in the world to a single franchise store in Oregon.
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