Only One Blockbuster Store Remains In The U.S After Alaska Closures

Ah, Blockbuster. What an institution you were.

Before the days of Netflix and chill there was Blockbuster and indecisiveness.

Every Friday night, there'd be the hours spent wandering around trying to decide what film to rent, usually trying to sneak an 18-rated video into your mum's pile, even though you were more of a Disney age.

Yesterday, it was announced that the two remaining Blockbuster stores in Alaska would be closing down, which leaves just one remaining in the U.S.

One stubborn Blockbuster, standing proud and refusing to move, in the town of Bend in Oregon.

Bend has an estimated population of 100,000, but it's become a popular pilgrimage site (okay, more a detour on your way somewhere else) for film lovers wanting to see the lone ranger.

There are probably people reading this who never even went to Blockbuster, so long has it been since streaming services like Netflix took over.

But for children of the 90s and earlier, it's an absolute icon.

There are no Blockbusters left in the UK, with the last one clearing off some five years ago.

The store in Bend has got a huge signpost on the brick wall outside, which loads of people visiting pose next to, for old time's sake.

Google Maps

According to people who have checked in on Instagram, it 'still has that familiar smell of popcorn and candy by the checkout counter'.

The general mood in the comments section is one of disbelief, across the board.

One person said: "Where the fuck did you find a functioning Blockbuster" while another commented: "Is this for real!?"

Someone else called it an 'endangered beast', and someone else said: "I have to return some video tapes..."

Yeah, it's probably because we were all so shit at returning the stuff we'd rented that Blockbuster went bust in the first place. Oops.

One girl was so pleased to stumble upon the film rental shop that she opened herself up a membership while she was there - apparently, that's still a thing you can do.

PA

Apparently the owner of the store also owns the land it's positioned on, so there's no rent to pay - which explains how it's stayed open for so long.

Even so, we can't imagine it sticking around forever, unless it can become a proper nostalgic tourist attraction.

Now, where did we leave that 1997 video tape of Titanic?

Topics: America, Netflix 'N' Chill, Nostalgia, Netflix

Daisy Jackson

Daisy Jackson is a freelance writer, who has previously worked at Shortlist Media and Trinity Mirror. She has written about the Manchester terror attacks and appeared on BBC Five live to discuss the aftermath, as well as interviewing an orthopaedic surgeon in Syria.