So Long Blockbuster...

Sometimes I can measure the success of various things - such as television shows, movies and rental chains - by my interest in me. That is to say: if I lose interest in it, then all of society has lost interest in it. Perhaps that's a bit self-centered and absorbed. Either way you shake it, my interest in Blockbuster started it's decline about six years ago, and I'm going to make the leap and say this is around the time that Blockbuster began it's decline into irrelevance. It's also around the time Netflix was picking up in business.

Of course, Netflix with it's mail order business was not available in Canada, however, Zip was. I tried it out, but when people began stealing DVDs out of my mailbox and my account was frozen/investigated - I lost interest. This is rare case where the rest of society disagreed with me, but I knew the service just wasn't for me.  In this case I was ahead of the curve: I knew digital media and distribution thereof was the future. My physical movie purchases declined rapidly. In 2005 they stopped altogether: the announcement and release of HD-DVD and Bluray nailed it. At that point I sold off the vast majority of my collection in order to begin the high definition indulgence. Unfortunately we still had a ways to go. I digress though, let's focus on Blockbuster again.

My first memory of Blockbuster was in the early 90s, when it replaced the Major Video me and my family had frequented for years. Nothing much changed from Major, just different colours. Around the same time we got into Rogers Video, which had gnarly deals on classic films. Blockbuster would be relegated to the new release wall, and some video games - Microplay across the street couldn't be beat for prices and classic games. Blockbuster was also home of video game competitions and a healthy dose of used titles available for purchase. It just did the job, and it did it well.

Throughout the years Blockbuster would become more expensive, but we didn't have much choice: they basically drove other video rental places out of business. My friends and I - during university - would frequent Blockbuster all the time for movie and game rentals, and very rarely purchases (it was incredibly overpriced). It was always a stop in our outings, but the frequency at which we used the store diminished. When I moved back to Kingston Blockbuster all but ceased to be in the rotation. We had other, more convenient and less expensive options to explore. That, and we just didn't need to rent anymore.

From 2005 onwards Blockbuster would become a joke: in Canada, they stopped charging late fees. This was great, as I could rent a game, spend a month or so on it and return it when I was done. This is how playing the Call of Duty series was for me. They charged a restocking fee if you were incredibly late, but the fee was a joke, seriously. Then digital distribution took over very quickly, and as of last year, Netflix offered it's online variant in Canada. I hadn't used my Blockbuster card in ages, and now I'm not even sure where it went. For the cost of a single new release rental, you could get access (through Netflix) to hundreds of films (although their relevance is questionable) and television shows (again, poor shows). If you watch a movie or two on Netflix, it's considered "worth it" and you move on. You don't even miss new releases that much, especially if you frequent the movie theatre and have seen them all beforehand.

Over the past year the chain has been in the news, as they close down stores in the US and file for protection. We didn't really feel it in Canada until fairly recently, then all of a sudden, a couple of weeks ago, the announcement that all stores would be closing. A bit sad, sure (for the employees) but everyone knew why. They just didn't innovate or keep with the times. It was a slow roll into oblivion, but once it got rolling it rolled hard and fast. I went to the local stores to see if they were having closeout sales. Not yet. A week later they did. I arrived in the middle of the afternoon and found a lineup outside. The busiest the store has ever been, I'm sure. I waited, and when I was granted access I wanted to leave right away. 25% off just about everything, and not a thing I had an interest in buying. Another week would pass and they upped the deal to 40% off, which made things interesting. I ended up buying a few used games, but no movies. Another few days pass and I receive an e-mail saying it's 50% off, then the next day 70% off. As I drive by the stores today, the lights are out. Cleared out and empty. Demure brick and mortar stores that will lay empty for a time. New stores will move in and we'll describe their location to people as "the place Blockbuster used to be."

It was never really my favourite chain, or rental store. There have always been better ones, but it had its place. I'm sure, one day while cleaning out a random drawer, my Blockbuster card will show up. I'll pick it up fondly and be reminded of the good old days, while I look onwards to the future. So long, Blockbuster, it was a decent run.