See what I mean when I say I feel like I'm five years behind? Allow me to elaborate.
Of course I know most of the Blockbuster stores in the country were closed. I remember when they all started closing back in the summer of 2008. I had just moved back to Orlando and was but a wee seasonal cast member with Disney. That means working no hours yet still spending way too much money at Pleasure Island. When I wasn't partying it up awesome-style I was sitting on my lazy (read poor) butt at my fabulously ghetto apartment at Cagan Crossings. One day I decided to venture up the highway outside my complex. Driving up Highway 27 I discovered the lovely sight of a Blockbuster Video store!! This location became my haven at least through Halloween. (I remember renting A LOT of random horror movies that October.)
Then out of nowhere, a terrible thing started happening. All of the Blockbuster stores started to close. My new location on 27 was one of the first victims to fall. One day I was lamenting of my recent loss with my mom when she regrettably informed me that the Blockbuster back in Newnan had also recently shut down. Now THAT was traumatic. I remember spending HOURS in that store during my childhood, specifically my adolescence.
Visiting the store as a family my thirst for a movie search was never satisfied. Sunday evening was our usual movie night so after church it was either Blockbuster then Papa John's or vice versa. The fam usually had some movie already in mind by the time we got there so much to my chagrin we were in and out before I could even begin my quest for that evening's movie.
Getting my driver's license was the best thing to ever happen to me if only because that meant I could go to Blockbuster on my own personal time. And believe me every time I went I spent at least a good hour in the store. I dunno what it is about physically browsing through the latest movie selection that gets me all giddy inside. I can still spend at least half an hour browsing through the movie selection at Target. Can you imagine how bad I must have been at Blockbuster?? It's probably a good thing my family usually had a movie in mind, or we would have been in that store for quite a while.
ANYWAY the other night I read that the CEO of Blockbuster (or whoever owns that brand now) has decided to close the remaining 300 open stores around the country. Cue the whole Temple of Doom style heart action again. They're even getting rid of their online stores and any remaining kiosks at your local gas stations.
Sooo this is officially good-bye to a brand of many a 90s kid. Blockbuster, you will definitely be missed. I will never forget the number of hours I spent practically scaling your rows and rows of most excellent movies. Oh, and for you stupid kiddos who have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about, do not fret. I have the perfect video for you.
Check out this video (hey see what I did there?!). For you unfortunate kids who have no idea what video stores are, this will educate you. For everyone else, it may make you cry. You are so welcome. Now excuse me while I go curl up in a ball in the corner...
