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Blockbuster Canada in receivership

Started by sebberry , May 07 2011 01:20 PM

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134 replies to this topic

#101 sebberry

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Posted 03 December 2011 - 10:40 AM

Oh wow

Often I will pop in to pay my phone bill. The place is always a ghost town.

Years back you had two lineups.

If I recall correctly you are close to the Quadra village one, right?

I went in there once to rent something after Blockbuster closed. It was a ghost town. Huge place for the amount of stuff they had in there too.

Big lease, high prices.. it's no wonder they're closing stores :rolleyes:

I guess I'll have to check out Pic-A-Flic's new release section.

Or I'll have to download movies. No, wait, Harper doesn't want me doing that either. Is anyone actually going to be able to watch movies now? :confused:

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#102 G-Man

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Posted 03 December 2011 - 10:50 AM

^ And that is after they cut the store in half with the liquor store coming in. This will be an interesting dynamic because I believe the liquor store is actually a sublease from Rogers...

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#103 sebberry

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Posted 03 December 2011 - 10:56 AM

^ And that is after they cut the store in half with the liquor store coming in. This will be an interesting dynamic because I believe the liquor store is actually a sublease from Rogers...

Seriously? It was bigger?

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#104 martini

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Posted 03 December 2011 - 11:06 AM

If I recall correctly you are close to the Quadra village one, right?

I went in there once to rent something after Blockbuster closed. It was a ghost town. Huge place for the amount of stuff they had in there too.

Big lease, high prices.. it's no wonder they're closing stores

I guess I'll have to check out Pic-A-Flic's new release section.

Or I'll have to download movies. No, wait, Harper doesn't want me doing that either. Is anyone actually going to be able to watch movies now?

Also frequent the one at Gorge and Tillicum.
The irony there is they expanded and booted out Pic a Flic.
If we do rent anything...we are loyal to Gorge Video Station across the street.
That ma and pa operation has managed to stand the test of time. Even they have downsized though too.
I also get a lot of movies from the library and we have Netflix.
If I go to a theatre...it's more likely The Roxy.

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#105 Mr_E_Squirrel

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Posted 04 December 2011 - 01:21 PM

Did the Gorge Video station move/downsize? I thought it was out of business when it went from the corner about a year ago. The mustiness of the carpet turned me off of going there regularly. Nice people nice prices pretty mouldy/musty store

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#106 sebberry

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Posted 04 December 2011 - 01:40 PM

The mustiness of the carpet turned me off of going there regularly. Nice people nice prices pretty mouldy/musty store

I'd be more inclined to support small local stores if they weren't so run-down feeling/smelling.

I'm sure regular carpet cleaning is part of any chain-store business plan/franchise agreement.

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#107 martini

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Posted 04 December 2011 - 03:05 PM

^
^^
They just moved around the corner of the same building. (Facing Gorge Rd.)
More compact. Clean.
I admit it was getting to me too. Super nice people though.

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#108 gumgum

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Posted 04 December 2011 - 06:08 PM

Still two independent stores in James bay. One in Fairfield. Is there one left in Oak Bay? One in Quadra Village. The one mentioned above.

Where are the other ones in the core?

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#109 sebberry

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Posted 04 December 2011 - 06:16 PM

There's one at Fort/Foul Bay - Yo Video.

They also need to have the carpets cleaned.

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#110 jklymak

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Posted 04 December 2011 - 07:43 PM

Still two independent stores in James bay. One in Fairfield. Is there one left in Oak Bay? One in Quadra Village. The one mentioned above.

Where are the other ones in the core?

I'm pretty sure the one at Haultain Corners is still there.

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#111 G-Man

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Posted 04 December 2011 - 08:29 PM

There is only Rogers in Quadra Village.

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#112 gumgum

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Posted 04 December 2011 - 08:52 PM

^yeah Rogers is what I was referring to.

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#113 Bernard

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Posted 06 December 2011 - 05:53 PM

I have to say the dead flies and grim really put me off of Gorge Video. Also, for a couple of years the Rogers across the street had this most amazing guy working there that could give me good recommendations on what to watch.

Now I never use any video stores any longer

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#114 manuel

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595 posts

Posted 06 December 2011 - 08:46 PM

There is also a small store at the back of the mall with the Fairways in Oak Bay. Never been in it though - Pic a Flic around the corner and down the street from our house.

"I know nothing"

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#115 Matt R.

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Posted 07 December 2011 - 12:56 AM

A woman named Stephanie Greaves owns the Oak Bay video store. Hole in the wall, great people! Way back when, my family owned two video stores in Fairfield, and the Greaves family were regulars. Funny how things come full circle.

It's good to get to know these sorts of small business owners, as they get to know your likes and dislikes and can really guide you in the right direction. This is true of just about any small business, from bike store to video store to restaurant and everything in between! Now my sister owns pic-a-flic with a business partner and as we all know it's a fantastic little shop, really an institution in Victoria.

Support your local business!

Matt.

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#116 Holden West

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Posted 11 September 2012 - 12:55 PM

US abandoned video stores.

Quite a few empty units are seen around here now, too.

"Beaver, ahoy!""The bridge is like a magnet, attracting both pedestrians and over 30,000 vehicles daily who enjoy the views of Victoria's harbour. The skyline may change, but "Big Blue" as some call it, will always be there."
-City of Victoria website, 2009

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#117 Holden West

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Posted 23 October 2012 - 07:01 AM

Great Times Colonist feature on the past, present and future of Victoria's independent video stores:

When Mike Griese began renting some of his VHS collection out of his Fairfield corner store in the spring of 1982, he never imagined he'd still be renting videos 30 years later.

It's a decision some industry-watchers say explains why he's still called Crazy Mike.

"I was one of the first ones in, and I'm determined to be the last guy out," says the home-video pioneer, who partnered with Mike Adams on what would become Crazy Mike's, which at its peak in 1992 had 65 franchise and company stores across North America.

http://www.timescolo...3346/story.html

"Beaver, ahoy!""The bridge is like a magnet, attracting both pedestrians and over 30,000 vehicles daily who enjoy the views of Victoria's harbour. The skyline may change, but "Big Blue" as some call it, will always be there."
-City of Victoria website, 2009

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#118 Jill

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Posted 23 October 2012 - 02:04 PM

I remember Mike's original corner store. It was at the corner of Crescent Road and Irving. It was called the M & S, although some people claimed that originally the sign read S & M before it was hastily changed.

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#119 Holden West

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Posted 11 November 2013 - 10:49 PM

The comedy “This Is the End” was the last movie rented from a Blockbuster store, the retailer said.

The final transaction, as Dish Network shuts down the remaining 300 stores Blockbuster operates, took place at 11 p.m. on Nov. 9, [2013] in Hawaii.

http://variety.com/2...ter-1200820318/

"Beaver, ahoy!""The bridge is like a magnet, attracting both pedestrians and over 30,000 vehicles daily who enjoy the views of Victoria's harbour. The skyline may change, but "Big Blue" as some call it, will always be there."
-City of Victoria website, 2009