# Blockbuster is Done



## thetrailboss (Nov 6, 2013)

Gone. The credits are rolling. 

http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/06/tech/...ster-video-stores-impact/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

Wow.


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## ScottySkis (Nov 6, 2013)

I liked store once but understand that there price for rental were to high for to many years.


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## thetrailboss (Nov 6, 2013)

Many stores have Warren Miller films in their merchandise.  Assuming that they do liquidation sales, you might be able to get some good deals.


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## ctenidae (Nov 6, 2013)

I was amazed when I saw the news today. Mostly that there were any stores open at all, much les 300 of them.


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## Geoff (Nov 7, 2013)

I didn't realize they were still in business.   Netflix through the mail and Redbox vending machines own 100% of the market.


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## bvibert (Nov 7, 2013)

I thought they closed up shop years ago?  Actually, I take that back, I was surprised when I spotted one in Guadalajara Mexico last year.  I couldn't tell if it was actually open from where we went by, but the sign was very prominent.

We used to have two in our town, I think the last one closed 5 or more years ago.


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## xwhaler (Nov 7, 2013)

Abt a year ago I tried a 1 month free trial of Blockbuster's DVD mail service program. I've been a loyal Netflix subscriber for yrs but mostly just wanted to see how BB compared. 
Their selection was worse and I would mail both Netflix/BB discs back from the same mailbox/same day and BB was consistently 1-2 days slower in getting the next disc.
It made sense for gamers but everything else about it sucked. Of course I cancelled the trial membership after the month was over.


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## hammer (Nov 7, 2013)

Been torn...got rid of DVDs on Netflix some time ago because we were never watching them but the streaming content still leaves a lot to be desired.  For the very few times we want to rent a DVD Redbox is the way to go.


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## snoeboarder (Nov 7, 2013)




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## Nick (Nov 7, 2013)

I haven't rented a physical DVD in a few years, but this was still sort of bittersweet. I just remember growing up as a kid, or later as an young adult, going to blockbuster and trying to find that movie. Renting four movies for a whole weekend. 

It's so much easier now for sure but certainly the end of an era.


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## jchia1229 (Nov 7, 2013)

hate the store, lost a VHS tape once, and they charge me $90 for it. (it was about 15 years ago) Never rented from them again.


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## Hawkshot99 (Nov 7, 2013)

jchia1229 said:


> hate the store, lost a VHS tape once, and they charge me $90 for it. (it was about 15 years ago) Never rented from them again.



Last time our family rented from them, we returned the video as normal.  Awesome worker guy never scanned the video in, but put it back on the shelf.  There it sat for a long time as they kept telling us how much $ we owed them for not returning it.  It was finall figured out, when someone rented the movie and it was wrung through the system again....


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## Abubob (Nov 8, 2013)

Good riddance to bad rubbish.


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## thetrailboss (Nov 8, 2013)

I would not be surprised if we see more chains disappear including Radio Shack, Sears, and JC Penney.  Sears is an especially sad case.


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## bvibert (Nov 8, 2013)

thetrailboss said:


> I would not be surprised if we see more chains disappear including Radio Shack, Sears, and JC Penney.  Sears is an especially sad case.



Radio Shack is one that I'm surprised has been able to hang in there.  Sears is barely hanging on, I think.


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## thetrailboss (Nov 8, 2013)

bvibert said:


> Radio Shack is one that I'm surprised has been able to hang in there. Sears is barely hanging on, I think.



I've read many articles that say that Sears is dying a very slow death and that a lot of their revenue is, sadly, selling off their assets.  

I honestly don't know who shops at Radio Shack.


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## Edd (Nov 8, 2013)

bvibert said:


> Radio Shack is one that I'm surprised has been able to hang in there.



I do not get that at all.


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## hammer (Nov 8, 2013)

thetrailboss said:


> I honestly don't know who shops at Radio Shack.


We've bought cell phones there, they usually have good selection and deals.


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## thetrailboss (Nov 8, 2013)

hammer said:


> We've bought cell phones there, they usually have good selection and deals.



Anything else?  

I've compared prices on things from there and they are just so much more expensive.


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## hammer (Nov 8, 2013)

thetrailboss said:


> Anything else?
> 
> I've compared prices on things from there and they are just so much more expensive.


Nope...agree that they aren't competitive on other items.


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## thetrailboss (Nov 8, 2013)

Well, just did some quick research and it confirms that they do sell a lot of cell phones and have a leg-up because they carry all carriers.  I also confirmed that, as we thought, they are not doing so well:



> In April 2012, after RadioShack had released very poor first quarter 2012 results, Moody's reduced its ratings on RadioShack to junk status.[SUP][7][/SUP] On April 14, 2012, the stock sank to an all-time low early in the day's trading.[SUP][8][/SUP][SUP][9][/SUP] On July 11, 2013, the stock price sank again on rumors that the company would soon file bankruptcy.



Wikipedia...I know, I know, but it links to the primary material.


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## Hawkshot99 (Nov 8, 2013)

thetrailboss said:


> Anything else?
> 
> I've compared prices on things from there and they are just so much more expensive.



I get small wireing stuff for projects. They have tons of parts in the drawers to choose from.

Sent from my SGH-S959G using Tapatalk 2


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## thetrailboss (Nov 8, 2013)

Hawkshot99 said:


> I get small wireing stuff for projects. They have tons of parts in the drawers to choose from.
> 
> Sent from my SGH-S959G using Tapatalk 2



See I was wondering if they were doing enough of that type of business to survive.  I just don't know because I never go there.


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## ALLSKIING (Nov 8, 2013)

Wait!!!....I still have a VCR tape to return:razz:


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## bvibert (Nov 8, 2013)

thetrailboss said:


> I honestly don't know who shops at Radio Shack.



I bought something there once in the last several years.  I was meeting a colleague from the UK in Texas for work, he had gotten there the day before and realized that he had no way to charge his laptop (or anything else for that matter).  After checking out the websites for the big retail chains near me all I could find was power adapters for US travelers heading abroad, and not the other way around.  I checked Radio Shack and sure enough they had just what I needed.

Aside from that I can't think of much else I've gone in there for...


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## bvibert (Nov 8, 2013)

ALLSKIING said:


> Wait!!!....I still have a VCR tape to return:razz:



Make sure you rewind it first!!!


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## ScottySkis (Nov 8, 2013)

But it is one steep trail at Platty.


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## Geoff (Nov 9, 2013)

Hawkshot99 said:


> I get small wireing stuff for projects. They have tons of parts in the drawers to choose from.



I remember the first time I walked into a Fry's in Sunnyvale, CA back in the early 1980's.   I have an electrical engineering degree.   You could outfit a modest hardware lab buying off-the-shelf there.   It's pathetic that there's nothing like that in the northeast.   Radio Shack basically blows if you're doing anything beyond wiring up a home theater or looking for ethernet cables.   I needed a null modem a couple of years ago and Radio Shack didn't have any.   Really?   Anything I need at Radio Shack, I buy much cheaper and higher quality online at places like Monoprice.com.   It's better than nothing but it sure would be nice to have a real electronics store in the region.


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## Hawkshot99 (Nov 9, 2013)

When I was installing my camera system in my truck I bought several pieces from frys websight. They had tons! I would never compare them to RadioShack.

Sent from my SGH-S959G using Tapatalk 2


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## dmc (Nov 10, 2013)

Don't forget to rewind that tape or get charged..


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## Edd (Nov 10, 2013)

dmc said:


> Don't forget to rewind that tape or get charged..



God, I'd forgotten about that. One of about a dozen reasons few people will miss that place.


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## Abubob (Nov 10, 2013)

dmc said:


> Don't forget to rewind that tape or get charged..



We broke one VCR rewinding tapes for these jokers so we had to buy a separate tape rewinder - which we still have. Anyone need it?


Sent from my iPad using AlpineZone mobile app


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## Glenn (Nov 12, 2013)

thetrailboss said:


> I've read many articles that say that Sears is dying a very slow death and that a lot of their revenue is, sadly, selling off their assets.
> 
> I honestly don't know who shops at Radio Shack.



There's a Radio Shack on my way home. It's quicker than going to a big box store. I usually get random electrical connectors there. I think the last time I was there I needed some co-ax connectors. 

I believe those stores are independently owned as well; franchises.


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## dmc (Nov 12, 2013)

thetrailboss said:


> Anything else?
> 
> I've compared prices on things from there and they are just so much more expensive.



I go in there once a year or so for misc electronic parts I can't get anywhere else...


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## dmc (Nov 12, 2013)

Abubob said:


> We broke one VCR rewinding tapes for these jokers so we had to buy a separate tape rewinder - which we still have. Anyone need it?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using AlpineZone mobile app



I had a run of about 4 years where i got a rewinder for Christmas for different people...   
They are still in the box somewhere...


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## ctenidae (Nov 12, 2013)

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11726304

Good news- you can get a tape rewinder from Radio Shack!


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## bvibert (Nov 12, 2013)

RadioShack, always relevant.


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