LAST CHANCE: Hudson's Blockbuster Store to Close on Sunday
The video rental store is now liquidating its inventory and store fixtures.
UPDATE (2:50 p.m., March 20, 2012): The Hudson Blockbuster store, originally scheduled to close on March 18, will remain open an extra week, according to the store's manager.
The shop doesn't have a whole lot of inventory left, though. Shelley Gould, who has managed Hudson's Blockbuster location for 11 years, says previously viewed Blu-ray discs and DVS are going for $1.99. As of 2 p.m. on Tuesday she also had seven new retail Blu-ray discs and nine new retail DVDs selling at 70 percent off the sticker price.
Even bigger bargains can be had on DVDs that have no cover art. Customers can pick and choose from a rack of DVDs in envelopes, but without cases. Prices on those DVDs are five for $7.50.
Some store fixtures also are available.
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ORIGINAL POST (12:25 p.m., Jan. 5, 2012): Hudson's last movie rental store is closing soon.
According to a Blockbuster employee, the Hudson location will close March 18.
Blockbuster customers are now greeted at the store's entrance by bright signs, placards and banners that say "Entire store on sale," "Everything must go," "Nothing held back," and even "Furniture, furnishings, equipment for sale." Several signs tout it as a "Moving sale" with the message "Visit us at our new address, www.Blockbuster.com.
Those looking for a deal can buy many DVDs for $9.99. Popular titles are selling for $13.60. Used video games and other retail items are 10 percent off.
A handful of Blockbuster employees will be out of work after the store closes.
"Generally our stores have five to seven employees per locations on average – of which usually only two are classified as full time," said Kelsey Smith of Blockbuster Corporate Communications.
As more and more people turn to on-demand movies through cable and online services such as Netflix, iTunes and Amazon.com, there are fewer customers for brick-and-mortar movie rental shops. Last year, Hudson's Mr. Movies location liquidated its inventory and shut down. Nine Blockbuster locations throughout the Twin Cities are now in the process of shutting down as well.*
Movie looking to rent a physical DVD in Hudson must choose between the Hudson Area Library and one of the city's five Redbox machines.
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Redbox machine locations in Hudson
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* This post was updated with new information from a Pioneer Press article at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 5, 2012.
In This article
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Blockbuster
101 Carmichael Rd, Hudson, WI -
Hudson Area Library
700 1st St, Hudson, WI -
Holiday
1920 Crest View Dr, Hudson, WI -
Walmart
2222 Crest View Dr, Hudson, WI -
County Market
2310 Crest View Dr, Hudson, WI -
McDonald's
2411 Crest View Dr, Hudson, WI
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Mr. Movies
1920 Crest View Dr, Hudson, WI
Hudson Resident
12:50 pm on Saturday, January 7, 2012
Another business bites the dust. That makes two video stores in less than a year that have gone out of business. Who wants to bet that the government video store is the last one standing? Nothing like the "free" videos from the library.....
Micheal Foley
1:50 pm on Saturday, January 7, 2012
I'd bet on Netflix, Redbox and on-demand programming from Apple, Amazon, Comcast, etc. The library's finances don't seem very healthy right now.
Hudson Resident
9:22 pm on Tuesday, March 20, 2012
My comment is as relevant today as it was 2 months ago. The only difference is that those "free" videos from the library are about to get a lot more expensive....
Micheal Foley
9:30 pm on Tuesday, March 20, 2012
So is mine.
Hudson Resident
10:00 pm on Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Indeed....
Justin DeLong
1:50 pm on Friday, March 23, 2012
Blockbuster update (from an employee currently in the store):
As of Friday March 23, 2012, all previously-viewed DVDs and Blurays are only $0.99!
Supplies are extremely limited, however we'll be here all weekend!
If nothing else, come in to say goodbye.
Micheal Foley
1:51 pm on Friday, March 23, 2012
Thanks for the update, Justin!
Justin DeLong
2:25 pm on Friday, March 23, 2012
EVEN NEWER UPDATE!
Our hours will be 11AM-6PM this Saturday and Sunday!
Jim
2:55 pm on Friday, March 23, 2012
This is what happens in the free market system.
As others have said, the Government video stores will remain open with taxes paying for same. That is a good reason to keep Government OUT of any business!!
Government should be limited to only those functions that CANNOT be done by the private sector.
Micheal Foley
4:52 pm on Friday, March 23, 2012
I really think Blockbuster shutting down has more to do with competition from Netflix, Redbox, Amazon, Apple and Comcast than it does with competition from the Hudson Area Library. It's not like the Hudson Blockbuster is the only one in the country shutting down.
Mike Knox
6:16 pm on Friday, March 23, 2012
We've done the online Blockbuster for years, but still stopped in at least once a month. As these businesses transition to online, I'll miss a few things that only the brick and mortar could offer. Especially browsing through old movies that one cannot yet get "on demand".
MrsPeel
10:49 pm on Saturday, March 24, 2012
Seven years ago I used to rent my movies from a very large independent owner/operated store. The owner told me then that he would never retire from that business because it would be primarily online within a few years.
A year after that conversation he got a great offer to sell his building and he closed up the video business.
Mr. Foley is dead on as to the cause of the demise of Blockbuster and Mr. Movies before that. Netflix, Amazon and others offering the online options have eaten their lunch. Dish Network which owns Blockbuster after buying it out of bankruptcy is closing 500 stores now, with more to come in the not too distant future.
It is not from the miniscule lending of media from the Public Libraries (which appear to be referred to as "government video stores" by the confused Randians) but the competition from improved technology.
Nicholas Negroponte, the founder of MIT's Media Labratory said many years ago that it is cheaper to "Move bits, not atoms.".
Those who keep up with technological advances and trends understand what is happening and those who yearn for the 19th century are utterly clueless.