It wasn't all that long ago that
the video rental store was the
place to get your movie fix.
Even people in their 20s can
remember perusing all those titles,
picking out their favorites,
and taking them home to watch.
But now we're witnessing the end of an era.
Boyd Hooper introduces us to a video
store owner hitting the stop button.
On the last movie rental
shop in the Twin Cities.
2,999,000 people in the seven
county Twin Cities Metro
2,999,000 amongst which good
morning video universe Scott Prost
has been left standing alone.
We're the last video store left.
Scott's business video universe in
Robbinsdale once competed in a crowded field.
There used to be hundreds
of them in the Twin Cities.
They're all gone. Hundreds of video
rental stores down to one mystery,
one science fiction, Big Storm musical.
If Scott doesn't have it,
the Smoggies, last polka,
the movie, and this is on tape,
probably hasn't been made.
I love something like
Stanley Kubrick's The Killing
Classics and the long.
Forgot Lord love a duck all
living in a space were comedies
starting with the letter B alone.
Phil 4 shelves documentaries
how many videos in all?
Prepare for a deep breath.
I'm going to guess there's probably.
40,000 titles I know
Scott's story has long been one of survival.
Welcome to blockbuster video.
When a blockbuster opened down the street,
some predicted Scott's doom.
There's one near you. We outlasted them all.
A grocery store now stands. Where
bankrupt Blockbuster once did business.
We survive blockbuster with
Hollywood video. The chains
survived Redbox and Netflix too.
Now. Until now. Yeah,
the look on Scott's face says it all.
Yeah, after 40 years in the
video business already renting,
repairing and restocking Scott's meta foe,
that's landed a fatal blow.
It's the inaccessibility
of new releases and titles.
His once lucrative new releases
shelves are becoming increasingly
stale as streaming services hold
on to their movies exclusively.
They'll come out, and then they
won't release them on disc.
Because they want people to
sign up for that service.
But streaming is not the same.
Not the same as Dennis Dean's
browsing a video store.
News of the world.
Not the same as calling
Scott on the phone and what?
What are you looking for?
All but certain ohh ham you'll have
it. Let Mel this huge selection of foreign
movies? Not the same as stumbling
on something teenage caveman you
didn't even know you wanted.
You know, coming in and not even
having a clue what you're looking for.
And then finding something that's
just like, Yep, that's what.
That's what I came in for today.
Like, I don't think there's gonna
really be a substitute for that.
Sam Perkel has been here weekly
since arriving from Chicago. I
moved here and I googled like,
video stores near me and this was like
the only one in like a 50 mile radius.
All of which leaves Scott pondering
the breakup of a collection.
He spent his adult life amassing
the classics and probably the biggest
collection of movies independently
owned in the country, I would bet.
Money than it is. Here you go.
In his dreams, someone will
step up with the cash to keep
Scott's collection intact.
The last picture show.
But he knows that made me cry.
That's unlikely.
It's heartbreaking to
have it happen. You know.
The clearance sale is scheduled for March.
Oh my God. Doors closing by May.
How you doing? Old customers are stopping by
and you would like my babysitter?
You don't know that.
You know because they would.
They would stay here for hours.
And final chance to experience
the last video store.
This will be
858. Thank you very much.
And the dying gasps no of an era.
Thank you much. Boyd Hooper,
Carol Levin News. See you later.
Yep. Bye. Bye, Robbinsdale.
After spending his entire career
in the video rental business,
Scott isn't sure what's next for him.
He's not ready to retire,
another reason he's saddened the end
has come for his business and a lot
will miss about it, that's for sure.
They're all my oldest son.
What was the best job you've ever had?
He will tell you block best blockbuster
and he won't even hesitate.
That was his favorite. No, no.
Nope. No. It was blockbuster.
Blockbuster. I'm serious.
I used to love going there.
Good job. Used to love going there.
And they're so smart with the candy
right in there where you had to wait in
line so your kids would be like that.
And then independent stores like that one.
I mean, he has so many treasures in there.