Just aced that trivia question posted here at the Techspot Website .. but reminded me of my first experiences renting VHS tapes ( or buying as this memory of mine shows .. ) thought I'd share my experience from the Pacific North West ( Vancouver BC ) .....
<<Anyone remember their first video rental experience and the store ..? Mine would be Video Only ..Feb/Mar 1981 (late winter).. Located at 1500 W Broadway Vancouver BC . .the store mainly sold factory TV's and Video Cassette Players-recorders (VHS/BETAMAX ) .. But they were the ONLY store for a few fleeting weeks at that time that specialized in handling behind the counter video movies on cassette . BUT you couldn't rent these video movies as the practice at that time was not authorized.by the owner/studios . so V.O. 's practice was for the few dozen movies they had..
1. you had to Purchase a limited issued title from $85 to $140 each..
2.and if you returned the title within 7 days they would give you 95% credit 'on file' to buy another title..., cumbersome but True!. .
I had to come in from Port Moody, long 25 mile drive, and my first purchase was Blazing Saddles for $90 .,( I remember being so fascinated at home holding the VHS cartridge in my hand and knowing that the entire 90 min comedy was in my hand , truly was at the time .., was amazing .... really! ) ...
Then a week later back to get another movie with my now ..$85.50 credit.... but the small selection of titles Video Only had also ran up to over $140 retail .. so my next purchase (again $90.00 ) was (for my five year old daughter ) The Wizard of OZ.! .
and then. ......by now .wouldn't you GUESS it- ..but in the spring of 1981 'three NEW video stores' opened up!! .. One in Richmond and one in North Vancouver at 11th Lonsdale both were named Video Stop . and a third store opened in East Burnaby along E. Hastings 4400 blk? named Laser Video..
The Video business policy's had now opened up.. that you could indeed rent vhs/beta movies., but the titles were expensive.. running $79 to $149 wholesale each !! .. so Laser Video being my nearest store had a policy of a $50 'onetime' membership that in turn gave you a punch card for one free movie a month (@$5) rental.., and the rentals per three days were $5.00
A Deal ! So what was I to do with my Wizard of OZ tape..?? well I sucked it up and decided to make one more purchase and then to never return the purchase & would be mine for ever.. But it had to be a good title.., so I picked ( for $130 ) - '2001 a Space Odyssey! .', which I was happy to do so.. not knowing or even envisioning that my present purchase was pan and scan and in mono .. LOL ....
those were the days ... Maybe More on the future of other stores later.. ( I.e. 7-11 , which was a long time before Blockbusters) .....................
<<Anyone remember their first video rental experience and the store ..? Mine would be Video Only ..Feb/Mar 1981 (late winter).. Located at 1500 W Broadway Vancouver BC . .the store mainly sold factory TV's and Video Cassette Players-recorders (VHS/BETAMAX ) .. But they were the ONLY store for a few fleeting weeks at that time that specialized in handling behind the counter video movies on cassette . BUT you couldn't rent these video movies as the practice at that time was not authorized.by the owner/studios . so V.O. 's practice was for the few dozen movies they had..
1. you had to Purchase a limited issued title from $85 to $140 each..
2.and if you returned the title within 7 days they would give you 95% credit 'on file' to buy another title..., cumbersome but True!. .
I had to come in from Port Moody, long 25 mile drive, and my first purchase was Blazing Saddles for $90 .,( I remember being so fascinated at home holding the VHS cartridge in my hand and knowing that the entire 90 min comedy was in my hand , truly was at the time .., was amazing .... really! ) ...
Then a week later back to get another movie with my now ..$85.50 credit.... but the small selection of titles Video Only had also ran up to over $140 retail .. so my next purchase (again $90.00 ) was (for my five year old daughter ) The Wizard of OZ.! .
and then. ......by now .wouldn't you GUESS it- ..but in the spring of 1981 'three NEW video stores' opened up!! .. One in Richmond and one in North Vancouver at 11th Lonsdale both were named Video Stop . and a third store opened in East Burnaby along E. Hastings 4400 blk? named Laser Video..
The Video business policy's had now opened up.. that you could indeed rent vhs/beta movies., but the titles were expensive.. running $79 to $149 wholesale each !! .. so Laser Video being my nearest store had a policy of a $50 'onetime' membership that in turn gave you a punch card for one free movie a month (@$5) rental.., and the rentals per three days were $5.00
A Deal ! So what was I to do with my Wizard of OZ tape..?? well I sucked it up and decided to make one more purchase and then to never return the purchase & would be mine for ever.. But it had to be a good title.., so I picked ( for $130 ) - '2001 a Space Odyssey! .', which I was happy to do so.. not knowing or even envisioning that my present purchase was pan and scan and in mono .. LOL ....
those were the days ... Maybe More on the future of other stores later.. ( I.e. 7-11 , which was a long time before Blockbusters) .....................
