The Blockbuster video stores in town are closing up shop permanently next week, a part of the company’s efforts to become profitable again. #
News and meta-news about Charlottesville, VA, since 2001.
Sideblog
Police announced this afternoon that their investigation into what was initially believed to be a fatal fire on Rugby Avenue is now a homicide investigation. #
The Virginia Supreme Court has denied George Huguely’s appeal. His second-degree murder conviction will stand, WRIC reports. #
In a carefully worded story, and not citing specific sources, WTVR reports that forensic evidence belonging to Jesse Matthew Jr., the main suspect in the disappearance of Hannah Graham, matches forensic evidence collected during the investigation of Morgan Harrington’s 2009 murder. #
In the wake of Hannah Graham’s disappearance, and the evidence that came from private security footage, city officials are revisiting the question of installing security cameras on the downtown mall. #
Both Charlottesville Registrar Sheri Iachetta and former Electoral Board member Stephanie Commander have turned themselves in to the police on
foursix and four felony counts of embezzlement, respectively. #Ten years ago, the National Institutes of Health budget doubled and schools like the University of Virginia built massive new research facilities. A decade later, those buildings remain largely underutilized. NPR visits UVA in this story on the effect of federal binge and spurge spending in the sciences. #
In 2012, Council approved a new student housing complex on West Main—now some council members are questioning whether what they were shown matches what was built. #
The Architectural Review Board has approved a bike-themed mural on West Market, below the McGuffey Art Center, although at least one member expressed concerns that it might look like the bicyclists were riding away from Charlottesville’s downtown. #
City Police Chief Tim Longo is meeting with city leaders to work on protocols regarding the use of military surplus police weapons in Charlottesville. #
A 100-year-old Colonnades resident received military honors for her service in the WWII Women’s Army Corps #
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Great news! I canceled my Blockbuster membership in 1994 or ’95, and have been a dedicated Sneak Reviews customer ever since.
Bad news! We don’t have Sneak Reviews up here in the land of 29 North. It is hard to imagine SR opening up a new location in this economy but we would welcome them gladly!
I never received any sort of customer service from them. I finally cancelled my membership when they sent me to collections for a tape that I had in fact returned. (Likely it was stolen from the returns pile inside the store.) One manager assumed that my house too messy and actually told me to straighten up to avoid the charges. It took everything but a sworn affidavit to convince them that the mistake was theirs, not mine.
Lisa, try Netflix. They’re totally awesome. And Sneak Reviews is great, too, though they’re out of your way.
In related news, Best Buggy Whips announced that they will be closing all retail outlets due to the whole 21st Century thing.
Don’t care one way or the other about Blockbuster closing, but I do wish we had a decent place to buy DVDs here. Ever since Suncoast closed( as well as Sam Goody and the shortlived fye)its been limited.
I loved Suncoast- especially all the old gems found on the $5-$10 rack, like Ramar of the Jungle, old monster movies, westerns,and so forth. And both they and Sam Goody had great selection for TV on DVD.
Plan 9 just does not cut it. They are not even very good for music anymore, though they used to be great, especially for the folk/acoustic CDs, my favorites.
Can always go online-oldies.com is great- but its fun to browse store racks, never knowing what treasure you might come across.
I gave up on “bricks and mortar” a long time ago. Hell would freeze over before I used netflix because of their practice of “throttling”.
Most of the crap I watch is something I purchased from amazon dot com.
I find Netflix’s throttling practice unsavory, but I get so few discs from them (preferring to watch online via my Roku) that it’s never affected me.
I own a small mom and pop video rental store across from Food Lion at Lake Monticello. I purchased it in 2007 and even during these hard times have built up the business to well over what I had expected to do in my first 2 years. First the real reason Blockbuster closed all of their franchise stores is because they made bad investments. They spent several millions on fighting Nexflix and then Redbox. Also they are a huge corpration with many hands in the same pocket, from the stock holders to the franchise owners. For our business my corprate office is in my back room with dust covering my desk because I’m up front one on one with my customers. Also why fight something I know I can’t win, I work with customers who have Nexflix because we take care of them when Nexflix falls short. We offer Sunday FREE on all new release rentals when they are rented on Friday or Saturday even though we are open Sunday. We give a point for every rental rented on your account and when you get to 12 you get a FREE rental. Bring a new release back by 2 the next day you get an additional point, that’s what we call our economic stimulus package! So if your looking for a place to rent a video and be treated like family, come try us out at Video By The Lake. Need directions call us Monday through Thursday 10-9 Friday and Saturday 10-10 and Sunday 2-9. 434-589-5566. Locally owned and operated cone by and say hi to Mom.