Whenever I switch on Netflix or HBOMax to decide what to watch, I can’t help but feel a bit nostalgic for video stores. When Family Video announced in January 2021 that they were closing all of their stores, it was the last breath of video stores nationwide. I think now, as a whole generation grows up with streaming, we need to understand why video stores are so important and why they matter as their scarcity is more profound.

Before you had streaming, if you wanted to get a film to watch with your girlfriend or some buddies, you had to go to a physical location. It could be a Mom-and-Pop store or one of the bigger chains like Family Video or Blockbuster. In there, the smell of popcorn would greet you as you would peruse through hundreds, or even thousands, of titles to find what you wanted, whether it was a copy of a pristine film like “Casablanca” or a total piece of garbage like “Battlefield Earth.” 

The worst feeling in the world was when you really wanted a film and some other schmuck had already rented it. You’d just have to suck it up and find something else. Once you rented it, you were given a date to return it by. And God forbid you didn’t return it on time. Otherwise, you’d have late fees. 

While video stores are more of a Generation X thing, I was raised on the tail end of their popularity. I remember going to the video store a few times per month and being drawn to all of the great cover art, particularly the horror films. “Nightmare on Elm Street,” “Halloween,” even “Leprechaun” had cool covers. But my mother never let me rent horror. Fortunately, I don’t bear any form of resentment. 

Growing up, I was introduced to “The Lord of the Rings,” “Star Wars” and an assortment of cinematic classics through video rentals. Unfortunately, the owner retired and the video store soon closed afterward. It was during that time that more people were getting personal routers and the boom of streaming truly began. 

However, during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, we were all in lockdowns. Since I was doing schoolwork online and my summer job was still a few months away, I was seeking a way to get out of the house. Fortunately, there was a Family Video store about 20 miles away. I’d take a drive there once a week, rent about five films and watch them with my brother. It was a great way to get our minds off of the uncertainty of the pandemic as well as just have a good time. 

We watched the “Rocky” films, “The Deer Hunter,” “My Fair Lady,” “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,” “City Slickers,” “Casablanca,” “The Searchers” and the immortal classic “Roadhouse.” 

But it wasn’t just getting out of the house that was important. It was being able to talk to people about what I love most in the world: films. Granted, we were wearing masks and six feet apart, but it was still some kind of connection. That’s what streaming will never have. 

I have nothing against Netflix or any of the other streaming services. They’ve given me some of my favorite films and television series. But video stores are just more personal. 

Now they’re gone, with some exceptions. There is one last Blockbuster still operating in Bend, Oregon, which was the subject of a 2020 Netflix documentary, “The Last Blockbuster.” But after Family Video closed up, the days of video stores are pretty much over. I hope they come back like the independent record store but I’m not optimistic. For now, I can still remember just how amazing it was to be in a video store and how they were effectively my salvation during the pandemic.