Monday, May 16, 2011

Goodbye to the local Blockbuster


Yes I know that I have posted variations of this post many times over the past few years on the blog but almost not a day goes by where I do not think about this revolution in media happening before our eyes.  Thanks to boneheaded decisions and failure to adapt to the marketplace, Blockbuster is in bankruptcy and the majority of its several thousand stores are shut down.  Including the one on Lyons Ave and Orchard Village Road.  It was once a thriving location filled with people hoping that the latest new release wasn't all checked out, or trying to talk their way out of late fees.  Here is what the store looks like tonight



There are many reasons why this store is gone but let me tell you my personal reason why it makes no sense to ever rent a physical disc anywhere.  

I have Apple TV---one of the apps is Itunes, and one of the apps is Netflix instant.

Netflix:  For $8/month I can stream 15 thousand movies directly to my tv, my iphone, ipad etc..(yes it picks up where i left off)

Itunes:  I can browse all the new releases and basically 95% of the movies that are out there and rent anything that I want in HD.  Not sure if the movie is good or not..well I can check Rotten Tomatoes which is next to all the movies..I can read a synopsis...and I can view the trailer....  Just a tad bit better then asking someone at Blockbuster "Is this a good movie?"   Of course movies are never checked out..and there are no late fees....no lines to wait in..etc.

Blockbuster never adapted....they got killed by Apple, Netflix, and redbox...and I don't feel the least bit sorry for them...

Good Riddance!  Now please can we get a good tenant in there so it's not such an eyesore!!
Posted by Garrett at 8:59 PM

3 comments:

Brett said...

You are going to notice a harder and harder time finding tenants. With so many industries changing so fast and the current economy, commercial space seems to be moving very slowly. We have storefront after storefront that has been vacant for a year, two years, three years here.

Now if I could just get Amazon to trade me digital versions of all my books in exchange for these smelly musty versions that litter my shelves.

May 17, 2011 at 8:14 AM
Bible Thumpin' Mike in Utah said...

Wow, Garrett, you have so many fancy gadgets. I tried netflix a few times but had to wait so long for buffering it was a waste of time. As far as Apple TV, ITunes etc, I dont really know what that stuff is or how it works. How many people out there have access to the stuff you have? Apparently a lot or blockbuster would still be there.
I have not been in to a Blockbuster Video for years but that was because Redbox was more convenient.

I know I am an oldtimer. I currently work for a Broadband company selling cable, phone, and internet and people ask questions about the HD/DVR and I have no idea what it does because I have never used a DVR, but I guess it lets you rewind live TV.

Hey, why dont you post on the Dodgers anymore?

May 19, 2011 at 4:33 PM
Garrett said...

MIke---Guilty as charged...I do have a lot of fancy gadgets...it is a passion of mine..I love it...


Apple has sold about 3 million apple tvs and as far as itunes..thats a free software that about 300 million or so people have

May 19, 2011 at 7:39 PM

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