North Decatur Blockbuster Closing? (and Your Movie Habits)
Decatur Metro | February 25, 2011Paul writes in…
I was up at N. Decatur Publix last night, hoping to get a movie from Blockbuster. They had closed early and it looks like they’re getting ready for a store closing sale (as is location at N. Druid Hills near Pikes).
Are Decaturites still watching movies? Are more people doing Netflix or Blockbuster express boxes or something else? Not breaking news, but does seem to be a sign of the times.
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I haven’t been in a Blockbuster in years, but I watch just as many movies as I used to – although fewer in the theaters. We’re Netflix subscribers (both DVDs and instant) and occasionally patronize the RedBox.
Lived here for 8 years and have never stepped foot in that Blockbuster.
Video rental stores are finished, no question. Netflix, more pay-per-view options and online streaming have ensured that. It’s sorta sad though. I used to love going to those places. Anyone know if Movies Worth Seeing is still alive over in the Highlands?
MWS still alive and kicking and full of great films!
I have fond memories of that place. Discovered the world of foreign film and the documentaries of Ross McElwee there (“Sherman’s March” is one of my all-time favorites..the best film about Southern women ever).
Ditto that. Back in the day (as in right after I got out of college in the late 90s), I’d hit that place up all the time. Think I still have my membership card in my wallet.
Same here. When I lived in VA-HI in the late 80’s-early 90’s, used to visit them weekly. It felt like a bit of civilization compared to the rows and rows of “Booty Call” videos available at Blockbuster. The guys in there were like encyclopedias of film and always had great recommendations.
Netflix since 2002!
Movies Worth Seeing and Netflix. Have been to that Blockbusters, but not in a very long time.
Netflix on the Wii and Apple TV for our over-the-top viewing.
Public library for those vintage classic DVDs
I still miss the old movie rental place in Oakhurst. Never went to Blockbuster.
Netflix since 2004. Lately more of the free On Demand. Have not been into Block Buster in many years. I love getting my red envelope and wondering Who rented this? Right now I have Tamara Drewe, A Place in the Sun and Public Enemy out.
Interesting mix. Is that the new “Public Enemy”? I have at home “Carnal Knowledge” and “The Tillman Story.”
Nope, the 1931 with James Cagney and Jean Harlowe. Somehow I’ve never seen it.
And Carnal Knowledge? That takes me back. That’s what I like about Netflix: I can order on a whim. Like right now. Then it works its way up the queue and by the time it arrives I think WTH? Always a surprise.
I’d never seen it. Ann-Margaret is…something to see. Some trivia: i watched this film as part of some academic research, and I learned that the Georgia Supreme Court declared it obscene, but the U.S Supreme Court unanimously overturned the ruling.
The new one is “Public Enemies” anyway. Got my titles mixed up. BTW, the library has a lot of the old Hollywood movies. Sometimes I find stuff there no longer in print and not available through Netflix.
I enjoyed Public Enemies. Particularly the images of those gorgeous old banks and gorgeous old cars.
We’ve got “Animal Kingdom” in the house now and “Restrepo” next in the streaming queue. That’ll finish out our Oscar viewing and “Tamara Drewe” is next.
Netflix since 2004. We stream it HD via PS3 or Xbox 360 or get Blu-rays or DVDs via mail. I also have a sizable Blu-ray/DVD collection, dominated by Criterion Collection and Disney animation titles. If, for some reason, I had to rent something locally, I’d go to Videodrome or Movies Worth Seeing.
For those still clinging to the Blockbuster model, I have to ask: Why? It ain’t gonna be around much longer.
Even when videos were the medium of choice, especially for kids’ movies, that Blockbuster was depressing.
True. We quit going to that store years ago . The service was terrible. We moved on to Netflix and now also use Comcast OnDemand.
I wonder what will happen with that strip center ? If Blockbuster goes that will be 4 large spaces vacant. Tenants at the Clairmont end – Sabrina’s and Great Frame Up – both told me the landlord really didn’t make much effort to re sign them as their leases expired.
Didn’t we hear that some kind of health care facility was going in there? Plastic surgery? Something like that? The idea was that it was a high end renter that could pay more than Sabrina’s, the Great Frame-up, and Blue Elephant Bookstore all together.
All women of my age have thought about plastic surgery. I know that’s a sweeping statement but I think it is true. None the less, I can’t imagine going to the Publix strip Center to have “work done.”
Yes, Blockbuster drove me into Netflix’s loving arms way back in 2003.
They couldn’t make any money when they couldn’t charge late fees any more. I liked to walk around and bump into something out of the blue but I HATED paying late fees. Netflix since they first opened.
Went there a few months back to rent a specific movie that wasn’t available elsewhere for a marathon we were doing with some friends. Felt like a time warp as I hadn’t set foot in one in years.
We use use Netflix streaming and sometimes Blockbuster’s on demand service through our bluray player. Also do Netflix via mail but we seem to be using that less & less as streaming options are improving.
Haven’t had cable or used blockbuster in yearsssss
had netflix since 03, and now use it the iphone/wii/ps3/360 so it’s pretty handy
using hulu plus on the ps3 and iphone now as well.
haven’t looked back yet!
Comcast OnDemand, pay cable stations, and just used RedBox for the first time last month- $1 for a rental! plus it is super easy, can return to any redbox location (not just where you got it). Have heard families use it for road trips so they can easily swap out the movies. If I ever can’t wait for something to be otherwise available, I’ll use it again. We’re likely to get Netflix soon as well.
we used the Redbox by Baby Kroger
Used Redbox last week for the drive to FL, dropped the movies off when we arrived in FL, and then rented more for the ride back. Worked great!
How does one do the Netflix through the Blu Ray box, anyway? I’ve got the Blu Ray, I’ve got the Netflix, how do you make it work?
It varies by manufacturer.
1. get the bluray device connected to your home network
2. establish a Netflix account via a web browser
3. choose your device in the Netflix account
3. you will usually get a special code to enter into your bluray Netflix app to register it.
It varies by manufacturer so check this page for further details…
http://www.netflix.com/NetflixReadyDevices
hope that is helpful & I accept no liability for these instructions as they are worth every penny paid for them.
The Netflix app has to already be on the player; older ones likely won’t have it.
Thank you Ridgelandistan and Brianc. I’ll check out the link and see if mine has that option.
It’s a perfect location for one of the new Netflix stores opening:
http://www.theonion.com/articles/netflix-switches-over-to-convenient-new-physical-l,19271/
Blockbuster lost our business because all they had was to offer violent trashy movies. The foreign section just kept shrinking until there was nothing there under five years old. Ihank goodness for Netflix.
We finally donated our DVD player to a yard sale when we realized we hadn’t even hooked it back up after we moved the TV when we rearranged furniture for the holidays several years ago. I haven’t been to Blockbusters in maybe 15 years. We either go to the theater with friends when a movie comes out or use On Demand or, occasionally, iTunes. Just a note: there are no children in this household.
I went by the Blockbuster yesterday as they were advertising huge discounts on new and used DVDs and BluRays. Perfect example of why that business failed: they were selling a previously viewed copy of Toy Story 3 at a “liquidation price” of $16, which is double the price on Amazon, with free shipping. Even the $3.99 they were asking for older, used DVDs is ridiculous now that you can stream from Netflix, Amazon, etc. I will go back right before they close, when I hope they get serious about unloading discs for $1 or less.
So did we and I thought the same thing about the prices. Really? Your charging $$ for USED DVDs and BluRay Discs?? We got a few kids movies for $8 each but I didn’t consider it much of a deal. The employee there was really nice and friendly. Maybe she was a temp?
They are probably sending what they don’t sale to a store that isn’t closing. I went to one of the closing sales at another Blockbuster and even on the last day there were no steals to be had. I bought one blu-ray for 10 bucks.
This sums it all up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TrPwOrf4sM&feature=youtube_gdata_player
We’ve been streaming Netflix movies via our Samsung Blu-Ray player for many months now. Many of the shows and movies stream in HD. We’ve gotten so hooked on streaming from Netflix that we rarely exchange the physical DVD’s they send us in the mail. I haven’t visited a brick-and-mortar video store since I signed up for Netflix in 2003.