Network Video Brunswick Heads on being one of the last video stores

“We can recommend what no algorithm could find for you”: Why one family believes there’s still a place for video stores.

Northern NSW, like movies, has changed a lot since Network Video Brunswick Heads opened almost 30 years ago.

But the family-run business in the Byron Shire village has stayed mostly true to the store it was when opened by avid movie lovers Ken and Rae Gentle back in 1994.

Outliving competitors like Blockbuster and VideoEzy, Ken’s son Chris believes it’s one of the last in the Far North Coast left standing.

But in a streaming world, that doesn’t come without its obstacles.

“Things are getting a little bit quieter and sometimes we think is this all worth having here?” Chris said.

“We think it is, but does Brunswick Heads and the area around us think it’s worth having?”

The store made a gentle plea with shoppers earlier this week to keep the doors open which subsequently went viral.

“We appreciate the well wishes etc but the only thing that will save the Video store is people renting movies,” the post read.

“If we can do this we might just keep what’s been described as an Icon of Bruns open.

“A little is all it takes.”

Chris said with over 25,000 films “from every genre you could think of” the streaming platforms couldn’t compete in range.

“Even the best case scenario, the streaming services like Netflix probably have about 3000 films,” he said.

“With the streaming services, you tend to just get the mainstream films and not the variety we have.

“We have about 15,000 foreign films in stock and all the smaller art house films – all in one place.”

For what it’s worth, Chris’ current favourite is Blade Runner 2049 but he notes it’s always changing.

Chris Gentle estimates Network Video Brunswick Heads has over 25,000 films ‘from every genre you could think of’. Picture: Tessa Flemming

During the floods, when the region’s internet was down for about two weeks, Chris said the store saw a spike in customers.

Lockdown too yielded a similar result, proving the need for the cinematic vestige to stay open.

“It’s community really,” he said.

“There’s not a lot of businesses around here that have been here for so long.

“We know everyone, we know who they are and we care about them.

“(The streaming platforms) can use algorithms and they can spy on you … but we get to know what people actually like.

“We can recommend what no algorithm could find for you.”

For Chris, his parents and his sister Kristin, the overarching hope is to stick around in Brunswick Heads for another decade, or three.

“In as nice a way as possible, it’s about putting your money where your mouth is,” Chris said.

“We’re giving everyone a chance to say if they actually want us here.

“Otherwise we just won’t be here.

“It might just be another shop they don’t really want.”