Owner of Gold Coast’s last video store says secret to success is diversification

The owner of the Gold Coast’s last video store has revealed the secrets of how he’s been able to stay in business for so long.

WHO else hid a copy of the movie Tomb Raider behind the weeklies on a Thursday so as not to miss out on Friday night? Maybe you waited at the front desk to score a DVD of Gladiator or Batman the second it was returned.

“I remember how people used to hover around me as I was returning movies to shelves, waiting to grab a new release like Avatar,” said David Hooklyn.

He owns the Gold Coast’s only video shop following the closure of Mudgeeraba Video on Monday and Leading Edge Video at Currumbin Waters in February.

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David Hooklyn, owner of That's Rentertainment, owns the last known video store on the Gold Coast. Picture: Glenn Hampson.

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That’s Rentertainment (formerly Blockbuster Video) is located in Oxley Drive, Runaway Bay, and has been owned by Mr Hooklyn for nearly 20 years.

“Video cassettes used to cost $120 to buy and once DVDs came in they were $20, this price hasn’t really changed in the past 20 years,” he said.

“Back when I started people used to come in and get a couple of movies for the night, buy snacks and make a movie night of it. Families these days are too busy to do this.”

Mr Hooklyn said DVD rentals had been declining for 10 years, but the past five or six had been the worst, since the advent of streaming services.

Leading Edge Video at Currumbin Valley closed its doors forever in February, much to the disappointment of owners Peter and Sue Brown. Picture: Glenn Hampson.

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“It’s funny as people come in they say ‘wow I didn’t know there were still video stores’ but the thing is they’ve only really started closing down in the past few years,” he said.

“One of my regulars started in the A section and watched every single movie before moving through the alphabet; she’d rent out dozens a week.

“And you know Freddy Got Fingered is also still hugely popular, as is the Titanic, James Bond movies, Gorillas in the Mist and of course Disney movies like Moana, Shrek and the old Lion King.”

On Tuesday all DVDs are a gold coin, including new releases, and on Wednesdays all movies cost just 99 cents. And with more than 20,000 titles to choose from, it’s no surprise 600 rentals fly out the door most Wednesdays.

David Hooklyn has more than 20,000 DVDs as his Runaway Bay video store, That's Rentertainment. Picture: Glenn Hampson

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Mr Hooklyn said the secret to his success was not just his wide selection of treats such as hot popcorn, 50 cent lolly bags, ice-creams and slushies, it was diversification.

“As well as being able to print out people’s emails, we offer photocopying, a selection of second-hand furniture and just recently I’ve got some indoor plants,” he said.

“But what keeps me afloat is my fridge, washing machine and TV rental business, where people rent them for a certain amount every week and after a year they make one more payment and own the appliance. It saves them making a $2000 outlay at the start.

“I wish it was a money-making business like 20 years ago, but these days it’s a lot of work without much return.”

All of the old favourites are up for hire at That's Rentertainment, says owner David Hooklyn. Picture Glenn Hampson

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