Renting a movie used to turn Friday night into a small event. You drove to the store, scanned rows of boxes, debated what everyone wanted to watch, and hoped the good copies were still available. Video rental did not disappear for one simple reason. Acquisitions, debt, mail-order rentals, kiosks, digital viewing, and changing retail habits all played a part. These 11 brands show how quickly a familiar storefront can become a memory.
Blockbuster
Blockbuster became the name nearly everyone associated with video rental. At the end of 2004, the company reported more than 9,000 stores across the United States, its territories, and 24 other countries. Corporate stores eventually closed, but the independently owned Bend location still operates under the Blockbuster name.
Hollywood Video
Hollywood Video grew into Blockbuster’s biggest direct rival. In 2005, Movie Gallery agreed to buy Hollywood Entertainment for about $850 million and assume roughly $350 million in debt. Contemporary reporting put the deal at about $1.2 billion in total value. Hollywood Video kept its name for a time, but the chain later disappeared.
Movie Gallery
Movie Gallery built much of its business in smaller markets. After buying Hollywood Entertainment, the combined company reached more than 4,700 stores. Financial trouble followed. Movie Gallery filed Chapter 11 again in February 2010, and its remaining retail operation was later wound down.
West Coast Video
West Coast Video expanded quickly during the 1980s. In 1988, it struck a deal to acquire National Video. Contemporary coverage described the planned combination as a 685-store network stretching across the United States, Canada, and Great Britain. The company later lost ground as Blockbuster grew much larger.
National Video
National Video was already a major rental name before Blockbuster dominated the industry. Its franchise business became part of West Coast Video’s expansion in 1988. The corporate story then went in a different direction. National Video became Rentrak, a media-measurement company that merged with Comscore in 2016.
Erol’s Video Club
Erol’s started as a television repair business and became a major East Coast video renter. By 1990, it had 208 stores. That year, Erol’s agreed to a takeover by Blockbuster in a deal announced at $40 million. Many locations were set to become Blockbuster stores.
Video Update
Video Update grew rapidly through acquisitions during the 1990s. The company filed for Chapter 11 protection on September 18, 2000. Movie Gallery later acquired the reorganized company in December 2001, a sequence documented in its SEC filing. At that point, Video Update operated hundreds of stores in the United States and Canada.
Video Library
San Diego-based Video Library had 43 company-owned stores when Blockbuster moved in. In February 1988, Blockbuster agreed to buy a 53% controlling stake for $6.4 million in stock and planned a tender offer for the rest. The Los Angeles Times report also noted that Video Library had gone public in 1985.
BlowOut Entertainment
BlowOut Entertainment used a store-within-a-store model, with video departments inside retailers including Walmart and Kmart. After BlowOut filed for Chapter 11 in 1999, Movie Gallery bought dozens of its locations. A company history records the $2.4 million purchase and the transfer of 88 stores.
Family Video
Family Video lasted years beyond its biggest national rivals. Owning much of its real estate helped cut rental costs. The pandemic brought a much sharper setback. In January 2021, the company said it would close all remaining stores after reduced foot traffic and fewer new movie releases hurt the business.
Wherehouse Entertainment
Wherehouse was primarily a music retailer, but video rental became a major part of its business. The company started renting tapes in 1981 and became a leading video retailer during the decade. Its later troubles were tied more closely to music. Wherehouse filed for Chapter 11 in 2003 while citing price competition and online piracy.
The Video Store Era Ended in Stages
These brands did not vanish for the same reason or at the same time. Several were bought by competitors before streaming video was a household habit. Others lasted long enough to face mail-order rentals, kiosks, digital services, or the pandemic. What disappeared was the routine of choosing a movie from a shelf and taking it home for the night.