World’s last Blockbuster store in the Oregon desert

The last Blockbuster video store in Australia is closing its doors, leaving only one remaining in the world.

A man takes a selfie in front of the Bend, Oregon, Blockbuster store - soon to be the last of its kind in the world. Picture: AP

A Blockbuster video store in the Oregon desert will soon be the last of its kind in the world.

Yesterday (Thursday) the last but one Block-buster, in Perth, Western Australia, surrendered to the march of technological progress and ceased renting out films.

The business will stay open until the end of the month, selling off stock and memorabilia including its distinctive blue and yellow signage, uniforms and a popcorn stand before the lights are extinguished.

Lyn and John Borszeky are closing the last Blockbuster store in Australia. The store in the Perth suburb of Morley will cease trading at the end of this month. Picture: AAP

That will leave only one survivor of what was once a global empire comprising more than 9,000 stores in the US and many more worldwide. It can be found in Bend, a remote tourist town at the meeting point of the Cascade mountains and the Oregon high desert, and business has picked up of late.

on the Planet!!!! #LastBlockbuster #IntheWorld

— Blockbuster Bend (@BlockbusterBend) March 5, 2019

Last July two Blockbuster stores in Alaska closed, leaving the Bend branch as the only one left in America. It has almost 4,000 active members.

“We probably open up ten accounts a day,” Sandi Harding, the general manager said. “It’s crazy the amount of people that come in and want a Blockbuster card.”

Many members are locals whose rural homes lack high-speed internet access or whose interest has been revived by the publicity the branch has received. Others are nostalgic tourists who drive hours out of their way to experience a unique link to the era of home entertainment before Netflix, Amazon and iTunes made streaming and on-demand viewing platforms dominant.

They might not rent a DVD or video but they can buy T-shirts, stickers or magnets made by local businesses.

A craft brewery has also created a beer, the Last Blockbuster, which was served at a store party in September. Two Bend filmmakers working on a documentary about the outlet and its impact on the community have raised almost $57,000 from the crowd-funding site Kickstarter. They hope to start editing their footage later this year.

More than 4,300 retail stores have shut in the US in 2019 so far, but Ms Harding is hopeful that her Blockbuster will not be added to the list. “I don’t foresee the store closing,” she told The Oregonian. “I think we are good for a while.”

The Times