Dear Editor,
Good day and thanks for taking the time to read this.
Yes we’ve all heard that the remaining 253 Blockbuster stores are scheduled to close, but that is by no means the end of the video store in Canada.
Independent video stores were the innovators that founded the rental business long before Blockbuster or any other chains existed and we are still here in the thousands across our great country. Indie video stores are an integral part of their local communities across Canada, which the mass media in cities like Toronto may have not noticed because the major markets were dominated by the national chains. We hope our local media notices that we’re still here.
The reality is that Blockbuster and Movie Gallery in Canada were healthy and viable businesses brought down by the debts of their U.S. parents. The U.S. brick and mortar video stores are under siege primarily by Redbox kiosks and Netflix’s DVD by mail delivery, neither of which exist in Canada.
Yes Netflix streaming and other alternative sources provide movies in Canada, but they simply don’t have the market share they enjoy in the U.S.
The typical Canadian seeks out intelligent entertainment that their local independent video store is happy to provide and we are still here because we’re fiercely independent owners that cater to the individualized needs of our customers and contribute to the fabric of our communities.
Not only do I run a local video store, I enjoy the privilege of working with hundreds of indie video stores on the Movie Experts TEAM that are located in towns and cities from coast to coast, so I think everyone should know that we’re still here to serve the entertainment needs of the millions of consumers in our markets and I encourage you to balance the coverage of the demise of Blockbuster with the story of the perseverance of the independent business owner.
Shawn Davis
MovieWorld
Barrhead
