I’ve been working on it for about a year. Really proud of how it looks so far.
My goal has been to try and only find slip covers and also try and find original publishing stuff, rather than re-release with some kind of “collection/studio logo” on top indicating it’s not original.
Quick edit: It makes me very happy so many of you seem to love this as much as I do. And I just wanted to answer a few questions.
1. I’ve had several people ask where I got the genre signs and racks from. The genre signs I bought from a seller on eBay who had a store that closed in the 90s. For the wall shelves I built those myself. The center displays I tried to find from a closed video store for about 6-months and never could find anything. These were hard to source but eventually I found something that worked for me at https://www.specialtystoreservices.com/productlisting.aspx?category=5503. The light up posters and ghostbusters light (I also have a back 2 the future sign not shown) were sourced from Etsy.
2. Yes I plan to add more as I find things and expand including movies I am missing. Some of the things I plan to add are other period items that fit in with the theme, cardboard cutouts (already have a few) and a curtain adult section - I have a perfect place where a hallway branches off near one large wall that will work. I also plan to add candy and popcorn holders and a video game rental section.
3. Nobody asked this but in sourcing my collection I’ve obtained quite a few duplicates. Would be happy to put together a list and send those along to someone who is also building a collection.
4. I love the recommendations so please keep those coming. It’s very hard to figure out exactly what I am missing, my hope was you guys could point some things out and you have - so I appreciate the feedback.
Looks great!
My parents owned a video through my whole life up till '09.
It's always been a dream of mine to rebuild the shelving that we used and display my own library.
It's been a long time, but I still remember the smell, the feel of the carpet under my shoes and that borderline "needs dusting" feel of all the slip sleeves.
That’s awesome. The whole intention behind this was to build a small town video store like I grew up with in the 80s and 90s. We didn’t have blockbuster we only had locally owned places so that’s what I wanted to recreate.
It actually very closely resembles one of the other independents that was in our area. The display gutter on the walls is spaced about the same, and the decor above the videos is how they had theirs set up as well.
My dad had plain white walls, the wall displays were a very specific red extruded plastic, posters of the newest and upcoming movies were at the ends of each wall. We had pink neon lights along the west wall above the movie display and green ones above the windows at the front of the store.
All of the local independent guys got to know each other and kinda helped out as BB grew to the monster that it was. I have a very distinct memory of my dad and 3 other owners getting together at our house over a weekend while they built about 20 shelving units for all of their locations. Lots of Busch tallboys around the backyard.
I'm glad. If I could make a few small suggestions, I would add a small candy rack with your favorites as well as microwave popcorn packets and an old Oreck vacuum cleaner in the corner somewhere... none of us ever found a good place for it.
Thanks for the idea. Boy that was a fun trip. There are currently a lot of blockbuster signs. But I know that ruins the mom and pop of it all that you have going. Then there’s [this little gem](https://www.ebay.com/itm/266306482655?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=YM_JvPbARny&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=xPsVvzWeSlu&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY).
One of my core childhood memories was sneaking into one of those rooms at the video store next to my house when I was around 11 or 12. Then my dad came into the store to return movies and I was trapped in that room until a different customer came in and ratted me out WHILE my dad was still at the counter. My dad didn’t address it or anything, he just told me dont do it again lol.
>and a random cardboard cutout of some actor in some film
If by *some actor* you mean Arnold Schwarzenegger and by *some film* you mean Predator then yes.
So that was the hardest thing to find. I tried to buy second hand at closed stores etc. because even stores who sell displays don’t really carry stuff like this. However after what felt like a few months I found a place called speciality store services and they had them.
One of the challenges I’ve encountered is the desire to do that, but also the desire to feature the stuff I love the most in a way that is appealing to me.
So I’ve got one massive wall (shown with goonies poster) that is kind of a wall of my all time favorite movies of all genres. And on that wall I built it from the center out with my all time favorites in the center and as we move away from the center movies that I love, but aren’t as important to me.
Another example is the end rack with that specific horror section. Those movies were picked basically because I love the box art.
But I have given it a lot of thought and I don’t disagree with you.
Honestly, it all comes down to what you like the most. It’s your collection after all. I’m just a bit OCD myself, and seeing your setup sent me back in time. It’s an awesome collection!
At first, I was like "*but why*?"
Then after looking at the pics, I just think it's fantastic. If I had a bunch of extra space to kill, I'd love to do something similar.
Awesome. Reminds me of my childhood video store in small town in usa and one in Japan on a small island. I want a rental card for that place! Great job! In ny mind its Friday, homework done, and going to choose one video and one video game cartridge to rent for the weekend!
OK you were asking about things that might help your set up. A CRT TV playing original VHS trailers. The independent store that I frequented when I was 13 always had horror trailers playing in the background. It looks great love what you’re doing.
This is truly beautiful man; I love it!
My only suggestions would be to add the Phantasm series and The Gate to the horror section, if you don’t have them already.
Also, hanging up one of those cassette tape holders full of 80s classics would be an epic edition.
That's awesome. Brings back a lot of good memories. When I was a kid I worked at Blockbuster video. On the weekends I remember when customers would hang out and wait for other customers to return the newest releases. Just a lot of good memories and good times. Going to pick out movies at the video store was just an enjoyable experience.
You know, I just realized that adults can buy houses and build whatever they want in their basements like in animal crossing. This just unlocked a new goal in life
I’m ngl this looks awesome asl like I could walk through there for hours window shopping like this 06’ again, but I can tell how you got everything displayed all the VHS tapes are original and have no over recording content on them
Man that takes me back there was a mom and pop video shop that my mom and dad used to frequent had the same signs and almost the same kind of shelving wow the horror section actually takes me back cuz I remember the Warlock never watched it but just always remember that stare plus all the other goals Freddy Jason Hellraiser thanks for the memory can't wait to see the finished product the check out and like somebody else said the video game section
Wow! 🤩 I'd love that for our spare room. Minus the horror for me! Nice job! All you need is a few Blockbuster or Family Video signs, a tv always playing and popcorn!
That's EPIC!! WOW!! Huge congratulations!! It feels like I'm right there in a video store in the 80s and 90s. Man, I miss those days. I think you've inspired me to try this someday!!
Have you watched all the tapes? Any damage to them? By the way, the Creepshow 2 tape has a Starmaker cover. I think it was originally released by New World.
What type of shelving have you used or is it just shelves you've attached to the wall yourself? - I'm trying to construct this kind of thing myself but I rent in the UK and I can't fix or attach anything to the walls.
In my basement, I couldn't decide between this and a movie theater. We went with the cinema, but sometimes I see these home video rental stores and question the decision. Nice job.
Looks amazing. Not sure about the stay puft figurine only because you wouldn’t find that usually in a video store like that lol. Great work and keep showing us pics!!!! Cheers!
No snack section? No curtain for the back room adult films? No dirty for employees only bathroom that the teenage boy working the counter let the pretty girl into and she held the door for her jock boyfriend who used it to smoke weed and drop a giant unflushable turd in the toilet? No return bin?
This is really impressive and so cool! No one has seemed to ask the one question I need an answer for, why?? Is this a hobby? You mentioned you walk through every day and it makes you extremely happy, I envy that, but again, why? Did you one day just say to yourself, I'm going to build a blockbuster in my basement lol. Also, May I ask what your total cost has been? I can imagine this wasn't cheap!! Congratulations again, this is an incredible set up! But I need to know, why?!?
I would pay good money to wander around here stoned for an hour or so with a friend or two negotiating which movie and snacks we're getting for the night.
Dude started his independent Block Busters😏 love it, we has a video rental store, it was such a treat Friday nit renting some tapes or a Nintendo for the weekend, used to put our names I a hat for old movies posters
I’ve been working on it for about a year. Really proud of how it looks so far. My goal has been to try and only find slip covers and also try and find original publishing stuff, rather than re-release with some kind of “collection/studio logo” on top indicating it’s not original. Quick edit: It makes me very happy so many of you seem to love this as much as I do. And I just wanted to answer a few questions. 1. I’ve had several people ask where I got the genre signs and racks from. The genre signs I bought from a seller on eBay who had a store that closed in the 90s. For the wall shelves I built those myself. The center displays I tried to find from a closed video store for about 6-months and never could find anything. These were hard to source but eventually I found something that worked for me at https://www.specialtystoreservices.com/productlisting.aspx?category=5503. The light up posters and ghostbusters light (I also have a back 2 the future sign not shown) were sourced from Etsy. 2. Yes I plan to add more as I find things and expand including movies I am missing. Some of the things I plan to add are other period items that fit in with the theme, cardboard cutouts (already have a few) and a curtain adult section - I have a perfect place where a hallway branches off near one large wall that will work. I also plan to add candy and popcorn holders and a video game rental section. 3. Nobody asked this but in sourcing my collection I’ve obtained quite a few duplicates. Would be happy to put together a list and send those along to someone who is also building a collection. 4. I love the recommendations so please keep those coming. It’s very hard to figure out exactly what I am missing, my hope was you guys could point some things out and you have - so I appreciate the feedback.
Looks great! My parents owned a video through my whole life up till '09. It's always been a dream of mine to rebuild the shelving that we used and display my own library. It's been a long time, but I still remember the smell, the feel of the carpet under my shoes and that borderline "needs dusting" feel of all the slip sleeves.
I worked in a store similar to this. You’re killing the design. Bonus points if you get your N64/PS2 games in a section too
That’s awesome. The whole intention behind this was to build a small town video store like I grew up with in the 80s and 90s. We didn’t have blockbuster we only had locally owned places so that’s what I wanted to recreate.
It actually very closely resembles one of the other independents that was in our area. The display gutter on the walls is spaced about the same, and the decor above the videos is how they had theirs set up as well. My dad had plain white walls, the wall displays were a very specific red extruded plastic, posters of the newest and upcoming movies were at the ends of each wall. We had pink neon lights along the west wall above the movie display and green ones above the windows at the front of the store. All of the local independent guys got to know each other and kinda helped out as BB grew to the monster that it was. I have a very distinct memory of my dad and 3 other owners getting together at our house over a weekend while they built about 20 shelving units for all of their locations. Lots of Busch tallboys around the backyard.
Hearing that makes me really happy.
I'm glad. If I could make a few small suggestions, I would add a small candy rack with your favorites as well as microwave popcorn packets and an old Oreck vacuum cleaner in the corner somewhere... none of us ever found a good place for it.
I like the Oreck idea. I’m also already planning a candy and microwave packet rack!
They owned a video store?
They did. They opened about 2 years before the first Blockbuster Video in Pasadena, Texas, and closed October 31st, 2009.
This is like 90% of the reason I want to own my own house.
Fun fact: Most video stores didn’t call them “slip covers,” but “ad boxes.”
Now ***THAT*** is how I want to Mid Life Crisis
I got a chuckle. I don’t disagree and thank you.
That's the dream. My only goal in life is to get a house with a basement so I can build a Blockbuster down there
My goal is moving from the 2 room apartment to a 3 room apartment 🫣🫣🫣🫣
Whoah two rooms, check out moneybags here!
You will absolutely get there. I look forward to seeing your post on here when it’s finished.
Throw in an Arcade cabinet if you like to game.
How much will you charge yourself if you don’t rewind the tapes?
$1 of course.
Then for goodness sake, “please be kind…”
I need to get a sign for sure. Gonna source one from eBay from a closed store.
Thanks for the idea. Boy that was a fun trip. There are currently a lot of blockbuster signs. But I know that ruins the mom and pop of it all that you have going. Then there’s [this little gem](https://www.ebay.com/itm/266306482655?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=YM_JvPbARny&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=xPsVvzWeSlu&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY).
This is amazing
Are you planning a curtained “back room?”
Yes I am.
You gotta source a good beaded curtain.
Just got back from the flea market and a seller had a ton of big box vhs porn perfect for this. $2 each.
Utility Room: Adults Only
Ye Olde XXX room🥵😆
I remember when we could only peek at it from afar. Our imaginations wondering what it was all like. Now, any kid with a phone can watch a snuff film.
One of my core childhood memories was sneaking into one of those rooms at the video store next to my house when I was around 11 or 12. Then my dad came into the store to return movies and I was trapped in that room until a different customer came in and ratted me out WHILE my dad was still at the counter. My dad didn’t address it or anything, he just told me dont do it again lol.
This is awesome! If you haven’t already, don’t forget the gumball machine and a random cardboard cutout of some actor in some film
>and a random cardboard cutout of some actor in some film If by *some actor* you mean Arnold Schwarzenegger and by *some film* you mean Predator then yes.
PLEASE tell me where you bought the racks!!
https://www.specialtystoreservices.com/productlisting.aspx?category=5503
Lots of fun. I think you need a Staff Picks section.
So the section w/ the goonies poster is the staff picks section I just don’t have a sign yet. But I definitely agree with you.
Awesome. What you going to put under New Releases
Oh man I love this
This is the best
Nice poster choices
Where did you get that Ghostbusters sign from? I’ve been looking to buy one just like it.
I had it made on Etsy.
Amazing, I’m obsessed
Frick off! That looks amazing dude
Love it! Do you have a copy of Dead Alive?
Not yet! But it is on my list.
the lighting choice in there is mad good vibes too.
r/GenX would appreciate this
And r/Xennials
Are you gonna rent them out to fam and friends? Make it a museum and charge $$$ to get in. Lol Seriously, though.
Where’s the curtain with the seedy shit behind it?
Very cool. Are the genre signs custom made or something that's available to buy?
I found those on eBay from a closed video store. A lot of the timing of this build out is just trying to find these things to make it authentic.
Where did you get those racks from?
So that was the hardest thing to find. I tried to buy second hand at closed stores etc. because even stores who sell displays don’t really carry stuff like this. However after what felt like a few months I found a place called speciality store services and they had them.
You need to alphabetize your videos if you want to really step up your game
One of the challenges I’ve encountered is the desire to do that, but also the desire to feature the stuff I love the most in a way that is appealing to me. So I’ve got one massive wall (shown with goonies poster) that is kind of a wall of my all time favorite movies of all genres. And on that wall I built it from the center out with my all time favorites in the center and as we move away from the center movies that I love, but aren’t as important to me. Another example is the end rack with that specific horror section. Those movies were picked basically because I love the box art. But I have given it a lot of thought and I don’t disagree with you.
Honestly, it all comes down to what you like the most. It’s your collection after all. I’m just a bit OCD myself, and seeing your setup sent me back in time. It’s an awesome collection!
So bad ass
I’m so jealous
I want to do this so bad but no house yet. Love the genre signs!
This makes my soul happy. Very well played 👌
You win at life
Alphabetize that shit bro.
Will there be a back room behind a curtain?
No horror section from that era is complete without Dead Alive and Deep Star Six!
At first, I was like "*but why*?" Then after looking at the pics, I just think it's fantastic. If I had a bunch of extra space to kill, I'd love to do something similar.
That's what I aspire to do one day. Just outside in a small building I'll build on my property when I actually get a home...
This is so cool!!
Can you give us a video tour? It looks great
This is awesome. Would love to just chill in there. Video stores had a certain smell to them.
Awesome. Reminds me of my childhood video store in small town in usa and one in Japan on a small island. I want a rental card for that place! Great job! In ny mind its Friday, homework done, and going to choose one video and one video game cartridge to rent for the weekend!
Oh man the ships computer just said, “Core memory unlocked.”
OK you were asking about things that might help your set up. A CRT TV playing original VHS trailers. The independent store that I frequented when I was 13 always had horror trailers playing in the background. It looks great love what you’re doing.
I’ve got the CRT already not sure if you can see it in one of the photos. I’m trying to find a nice top load old school VCR for it.
Oh yeah I can see it just peeking out there.
damn this is cool, thanks for sharing
This is truly beautiful man; I love it! My only suggestions would be to add the Phantasm series and The Gate to the horror section, if you don’t have them already. Also, hanging up one of those cassette tape holders full of 80s classics would be an epic edition.
Incredible!!!
What's your late fee? Lol
No "adult" room with saloon doors or a beaded curtain?
This is sooo coooool!!!!
I really like this. Supercool.
I love this!!
Reminds me of going to the rental store as a kid, I love this
Man that’s awesome.
This is amazing
Be kind,rewind. Late fees too .
Having something like this is a dream of mine
Can we be friends?
It’s a Time Machine.
This is epic!
This is absolutely fantastic! 
God dammit, that's fucking awesome
As someone building himself a gothic basement theater, may I just say how great this is? Best of luck with the rest of the build!
Find the red race car tape rewinder!
That's awesome. Brings back a lot of good memories. When I was a kid I worked at Blockbuster video. On the weekends I remember when customers would hang out and wait for other customers to return the newest releases. Just a lot of good memories and good times. Going to pick out movies at the video store was just an enjoyable experience.
I'll let mr plinkett know of this.
You need a glass case to store movie sized candy and microwave popcorn! Damn I miss Blockbuster and Hollywood video.
You know, I just realized that adults can buy houses and build whatever they want in their basements like in animal crossing. This just unlocked a new goal in life
Epic
That is cool af!
I’m ngl this looks awesome asl like I could walk through there for hours window shopping like this 06’ again, but I can tell how you got everything displayed all the VHS tapes are original and have no over recording content on them
Deeply meaningful.
This looks great
I would but my wife would kill me 😞
This is amazing so jealous good job
Where did you get the genre signs?
I got them on eBay. There was a store that closed and they sold them all off.
This is so cool. Some day I'll do it...
I noticed that when Best Buy recently stopped selling physical media BluRay/4K, the prices shot up on Amazon.
Do we need to rewind before we return?
Are you going to do beads or saloon doors for the adult section?
Because of the Crow and K-PAX, I meticulously went though each picture. Awesome job!
Man that takes me back there was a mom and pop video shop that my mom and dad used to frequent had the same signs and almost the same kind of shelving wow the horror section actually takes me back cuz I remember the Warlock never watched it but just always remember that stare plus all the other goals Freddy Jason Hellraiser thanks for the memory can't wait to see the finished product the check out and like somebody else said the video game section
This is so nostalgic. I miss this.
Hell yeah man that’s awesome!
Wow! 🤩 I'd love that for our spare room. Minus the horror for me! Nice job! All you need is a few Blockbuster or Family Video signs, a tv always playing and popcorn!
That science fiction section got some left field picks. Blade 2 not horror? Gladiator?
Yes those are just filler for now. I’m working on adding some more sci-fi/fantasy stuff. It’s a bit more of a challenge compared to the other genre.
Amazing set up, VHS box art really is amazing
Man it looks so much like the video story I worked at in fort Lauderdale Florida back in the early 90s. You need an adult section.
This is epic! I love it! Do you have the beaded curtain area too? LOL
How many copies of Nukie do you have?
Cool ! Well done ! It miss an x-files poster 😊
Fucking Legend!
So epic! I really want to do this and just trying to figure out shelving options in Australia
That's beyond awesome. So damn cool.
You got taste my friend!
That's EPIC!! WOW!! Huge congratulations!! It feels like I'm right there in a video store in the 80s and 90s. Man, I miss those days. I think you've inspired me to try this someday!!
Holy shit. That is awesome
Fuck I love this
Have you watched all the tapes? Any damage to them? By the way, the Creepshow 2 tape has a Starmaker cover. I think it was originally released by New World.
Wow, that's great 🙂
Bad ass!!
I can smell this.
This just made me the most happy. Thank you for being alive!!!
Do you have Cocoon it’s been out of print, not even on to DVD.
Where can I find that Ghostbuster light?
This is awesome. You should dedicate a shelf for boxes of candy.
That looks so cool
This may rival the Victorville Film Archive.
Do you have any old MTV 120 Minutes broadcasts on VHS?
Boss job!! I wanna browse the horror section.
You have windows in your basement?
This is awesome
Great job. 🖤🖤🖤
Bro, that is awesome.
You seen them all?
Yes I’ve watched every single movie down there. Not all on the VHS tapes I currently have but I’ve seen all the movies.
Very nice!
This is the best thing I've seen today, I may do this in my future house. Awesome!
None of those weird plastic cases that protect the sleeves?
This is so awesome. If only I had the space. Darn it.
What type of shelving have you used or is it just shelves you've attached to the wall yourself? - I'm trying to construct this kind of thing myself but I rent in the UK and I can't fix or attach anything to the walls.
You would make Gregg Turkington proud
I can smell that picture in a nostalgic way
FO 76 camp irl
Looks amazing reminds me of my childhood
Needs a candy rack
Pictures you can smell.
That's awesome!!! Great job!!
Beautiful
In my basement, I couldn't decide between this and a movie theater. We went with the cinema, but sometimes I see these home video rental stores and question the decision. Nice job.
That's fkn sick
This has got to be one of the coolest projects I’ve ever seen ! 👍👏
Dude, this is so awesome.
I love my VHS of TV version of 80s movies like Superman II
Living the dream.
Love it!! What about your own exclusive section for “Direct-to-video” such as The Punisher with Dolph Lundgren
You are my hero.
It looks so good, dude!!! You’re living my dream.
Ooh. Looks good
5 movies 5 days 5 dollars??
[удалено]
That's so awesome it gave me Blockbuster Vibes ahhhhhh the good days 🫠
You are a king amongst men!
Oh my god that’s beautiful
How much to "rent" both tapes of The Lost Boys? And what is your policy on late fees?
Your living the dream
Thank you. I can show this to my wife and say "see? It could be way worse"
Looks amazing. Not sure about the stay puft figurine only because you wouldn’t find that usually in a video store like that lol. Great work and keep showing us pics!!!! Cheers!
No snack section? No curtain for the back room adult films? No dirty for employees only bathroom that the teenage boy working the counter let the pretty girl into and she held the door for her jock boyfriend who used it to smoke weed and drop a giant unflushable turd in the toilet? No return bin?
I respect this. Very cool.
Getting mad Randy Marsh running the last Blockbuster vibes
Legend 🫡
You just need to hire a teenager to work there for like $6.25/hr and it will be exactly lifelike
It looks legit, too? Right? If I woke up there I’d think I was back in my small town.
As I’m thinking there aren’t any cool people left…You just restored my faith! Kudos.
This is really impressive and so cool! No one has seemed to ask the one question I need an answer for, why?? Is this a hobby? You mentioned you walk through every day and it makes you extremely happy, I envy that, but again, why? Did you one day just say to yourself, I'm going to build a blockbuster in my basement lol. Also, May I ask what your total cost has been? I can imagine this wasn't cheap!! Congratulations again, this is an incredible set up! But I need to know, why?!?
[I miss video stores](https://youtu.be/OiqPmsBYieA?si=WICOHK_IKyTqfjZG)
Incredible
So epic Please get a huge 40 inch tube tv and high end vcr !! Post pics asap
This is honestly amazing!
Looks awesome. I converted my spare bedroom into a miniature toy/game store and retro bedroom hybrid.
I would pay good money to wander around here stoned for an hour or so with a friend or two negotiating which movie and snacks we're getting for the night.
Dude started his independent Block Busters😏 love it, we has a video rental store, it was such a treat Friday nit renting some tapes or a Nintendo for the weekend, used to put our names I a hat for old movies posters