End of an Era: Robbinsdale’s Video Universe To Close This Week
In the days before streaming services, people wanting to watch a movie no longer in theaters had to venture off to the video rental store.
“I think it’s overwhelming actually the amount of stuff that’s accumulated through the course of the years,” said Scott Prost, owner of Video Universe in Robbinsdale, one of the last remaining video rental shops around.
Since opening in 1986, Prost collected roughly 40,000 titles at his store.
“There’s a lot of good stuff, but it takes work to find them,” Prost said.
The vast collection of films is why Melanie Kay Berger and her family have come to Video Universe for several decades.
All of the movies, television shows, and store fixtures are now for sale at Video Universe in Robbinsdale.
“We absolutely love this place,” said Berger, an Osseo resident.
But on a recent Tuesday, she wasn’t at the store to rent, but rather, to buy.
“We’re just looking for those gems,” Berger said. “Because as they close on Friday, we don’t want them to close, so yeah.”
Prost announced in December that it’s time to close, largely because many of the new titles started going directly to streaming services.
“There was so many new releases that I just don’t have, that video rental didn’t have access to,” Prost said. “And so much stuff that people want to see.”
As a result, he decided to put his entire inventory of 40,000 movies and shows up for sale.
Berger is taking full advantage.
“We’re here for hours,” she said. “It’s not this short little trip. It’s an all-day thing. We normally put all of our selections up, and then we go next door to get pizza [at Broadway Pizza] and then come back. It’s like a pilgrimage for our family.”
Most of the titles are selling for around $5.00, although Prost says the most sought-after titles have been picked over.
“They’ll come in and they’ll ask for ‘Dirty Dancing’ and think we still have that here,” Prost said. “Or ‘Blazing Saddles,’ or ‘Slapshot.'”
While there are still some notable movies available, a lot of customers will have to decide whether they really want to add a movie starring Paris Hilton to their collection.
Nine Lives is a 2002 horror film starring Paris Hilton.
But, the obscurity of many of the films adds to Video Universe’s charm.
“This is a classic place, and it’s wonderful, and we’re going to miss this place very much,” said Berger.
Meanwhile, Prost says much of the unsold merchandise after the business closes on June 30 will go home with him. However, he’s hopeful a person or organization will take the movies off his hands.
“It is the end of an era for home video rental in Minnesota here,” Prost said.
