KAMLOOPS — Before Netflix and Shomi, Crave TV and downloading bit torrents, the video rental shop was the place to see Hollywood’s latest and greatest hits.
But with the technological advances of the past two decades, the concept is all but forgotten.
There is one last bastion of movie rental in Kamloops.
MovieMart on St. Paul Street still offers new releases, old favourites, and hidden gems for you to enjoy.
It used to be a weekend ritual for many: load up the family, and head down to the local video rental store to pick out a couple of movies.
“We’ve gone from a city that had probably eight or nine video stores, down to one, now. We’re the only video store left,” said owner Denis Walsh.
In the early part of the new millennium, many of those other video rental business closed their doors, thanks in part to the rise of file sharing and video streaming services.
Now, MovieMart is the last one still standing, thanks to a commitment to serving its customers.
According to Walsh “We have a lot more eclectic titles. We keep our titles. You know, [on] Netflix they’ll disappear. We’re more of a video library, and a good resource for a lot of different movies, and movies you’ve missed from the past.”
Most millennials grew up in an era without video rentals, as evidenced by the availability of reading glasses for store patrons.
Walsh compares the movie rental experience to going out for dinner; it’s a once in a while activity.
“It’s a nice experience to come to the video store, and pick out a movie, and converse with other people,” Walsh said. “It’s more of a human action than it is, sitting at home and pushing buttons.”
In an era where many families are cutting the cord, and moving away from traditional cable, Walsh says he’s happy to fill a niche, and provide a service to the city he calls home.
