Could Blockbuster really be returning?
Blockbuster Video was the home away from home for many people in this area and just thinking about it brings back many warm memories. There were several locations to choose from in the Roanoke-Salem area and throughout the Commonwealth. There is a rumor that this once giant in the world of video entertainment might make a comeback but it's not sure if this is real or a gag. Polygon is reporting that the chain's website has a message that appeared in November that has sparked interest in a possible renewal. In big letters,
it says We are working on rewinding your movie which has inquiring minds wanting to know what is taking place. My last encounter with Blockbuster video was in May of 2003 after my mother passed away and is quite memorable. My husband and oldest son were working at night and after doing their homework our youngest two would play video games or watch movies. We owned a lot of both and we also rented material from Blockbuster. This was during the time The Sims was popular and I enjoyed watching the children play. We also were watching Bugsy Malone with Scott Baio and Jodie Foster and to this day my children say they remember the songs because we watched it so much.
Is a comeback viable?
One day a bill came in the mail from Blockbuster Video saying I owed them close to $200 in rental fees for Bugsy Malone and The Sims. We had gotten so caught up in trying to not dwell on my mother's death and became so emersed in the game and movie that none of us remembered that these were rented and not owned. We had several versions of The Sims but the one being played the most had come from the rental store. Yahoo says a lot of former customers are reminiscing about their memories of the video store as they wait to see what happens.
Blockbuster Video was a giant in its time and dominated small video stores during the late 1990s and early 2000s. Netflix ran the video chain out of business and the current landscape does not look promising for any type of return according to The Guardian which lists several attempts at name-dropping by the once-king of the video world during the past year. I have spoken with several people in this area who recall running into friends and family at various locations and also having Blockbuster parties at home with popcorn and other snacks.
Hopefully by now, Blockbuster understands that it has nothing to gain from simply cashing in on its name as a hit of cheap nostalgia. No, if it is coming back at all, it has to be for the right reason. It has to be for a full-blown return.
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