Best video rental stores?
November 24, 2009 10:13 AM   Subscribe

I make independent films and distribute them myself. I've started sending my movies to independent video rental stores around the country. I've sent my movies to I Luv Video in Austin, Scarecrow Video in Seattle, Video Underground and Hollywood Express in Boston, Acme Video in Providence, and others. What are the best independent video rental stores in your city? Don't say Netflix.
posted by davidriley to Media & Arts (67 answers total) 9 users marked this as a favorite
 
Video to Go in Lansing. It's Michigan State's go-to great local video store. Don't think they have a website, but google will turn up their address and phone number.
posted by Tesseractive at 10:16 AM on November 24, 2009


Off the top of my head for Toronto: Queen Video and Suspect Video.
posted by pravit at 10:16 AM on November 24, 2009


My friend owns Odd Obsession in Chicago. I think it would be up your alley.
posted by sugarfish at 10:17 AM on November 24, 2009


Video Difference, hands down. Halifax, NS, which is in Canada (which is on Earth, which is in Canada).
posted by oulipian at 10:18 AM on November 24, 2009 [1 favorite]


Le Video in San Francisco.
posted by mollymayhem at 10:21 AM on November 24, 2009


Scarecrow Video (in Seattle) - so good visiting directors to SIFF have been known to stop by to find otherwise unavailable films.
posted by dbmcd at 10:22 AM on November 24, 2009


Video Americain in Baltimore.
posted by Faint of Butt at 10:23 AM on November 24, 2009


Best Video in New Haven, CT
posted by phoenixy at 10:23 AM on November 24, 2009


in Winnipeg, Canada, you want Movie Village - I think they do rent-by-mail throughout Canada but the main storefront is a huge video store in Winnipeg. Also maybe Park Theater, which is both a theater and a video rental place.
posted by pocams at 10:24 AM on November 24, 2009


(oops, I suppose that's technically Hamden, CT)
posted by phoenixy at 10:25 AM on November 24, 2009


Los Angeles's best is easily Video Journeys http://www.videojourneysrentals.com/

There are some other good ones too I can't remember though.
posted by Lacking Subtlety at 10:27 AM on November 24, 2009


Iowa City's That's Rentertainment
posted by scarykarrey at 10:28 AM on November 24, 2009


Vidiots in Santa Monica, C
posted by Pineapplicious at 10:29 AM on November 24, 2009


In Portland, definitely Movie Madness and maybe Videorama.
posted by pdb at 10:30 AM on November 24, 2009


I don't know of one where I live now, but Casa Video in Tucson was pretty awesome when I lived there.
posted by workerant at 10:30 AM on November 24, 2009


Madison, WI has Four Star Video Heaven.
posted by Vibrissa at 10:30 AM on November 24, 2009 [2 favorites]


Pleasant Street Video in Northampton, MA.
posted by dayintoday at 10:33 AM on November 24, 2009


20/20 Video in Los Angeles, particularly the West Hollywood location.
posted by balls at 10:35 AM on November 24, 2009


Vision Video in Athens, GA; Videodrome in Atlanta, GA.
posted by ijoshua at 10:36 AM on November 24, 2009


Wild & Woolly Video, Louisville KY
posted by deezil at 10:37 AM on November 24, 2009


The Video Station in Boulder, CO.
posted by mynameisluka at 10:41 AM on November 24, 2009


Capitol Video in St. John's, Newfoundland. No website and not even a sign outside the building, but they know what they're at.
posted by futureisunwritten at 10:44 AM on November 24, 2009


Seconding Vidiots in Santa Monica. Also, Cinefile in Los Angeles is almost certainly the sort of establishment that you'd want to contact.
posted by Parasite Unseen at 10:45 AM on November 24, 2009


Videoport in Portland, ME seems not to have a website, but it is awesome regardless. I'm currently crossing my fingers that the broken links to videoport.org don't mean that the store has closed.
posted by dizziest at 10:45 AM on November 24, 2009


Videodrome and Movies Worth Seeing in Atlanta
posted by bunny hugger at 10:45 AM on November 24, 2009


Videoport in Portland, Maine.

I wish their website wasn't down right now. They are a gold-standard for Indy stores.
posted by anastasiav at 10:46 AM on November 24, 2009


Wild and Wooly Video in Louisville, KY.
posted by tylerfulltilt at 10:46 AM on November 24, 2009


TLA Video in Philly.
posted by The Straightener at 10:46 AM on November 24, 2009


Invisible Cinema in Ottawa, Ontario.
posted by KathyK at 10:49 AM on November 24, 2009


cinema revolution - Minneapolis, Minnesota
posted by wocka wocka wocka at 10:50 AM on November 24, 2009


Waterfront Video in Burlington and Middlebury, Vermont.

Savoy Theater and Downstairs Video in Montpelier, Vermont.
posted by GodricVT at 10:54 AM on November 24, 2009


Facets in Chicago
Bughouse Video in Cincinnati
posted by carrienation at 10:55 AM on November 24, 2009


For Portland, I second Movie Madness & would add Clinton Street Video; I hear they have a fairly good selection of arcane films & the folks in that area seem to give them good business.
posted by opossumnus at 11:03 AM on November 24, 2009


Austin also has Vulcan Video: "Voted best video store in austin by the Austin Chronicle for the past millionty years."
posted by mattbucher at 11:10 AM on November 24, 2009


La Dolce Video - Arcata, California
Co-owned by Merrick McK, a member of the rad improv group Starving Weirdos
posted by porn in the woods at 11:12 AM on November 24, 2009


Orbit in Asheville.
posted by mygothlaundry at 11:15 AM on November 24, 2009


Visart in Carrboro, NC
posted by amtho at 11:24 AM on November 24, 2009 [1 favorite]


In Toronto, yes, it's Suspect Video and Culture (ask for Lewis), Queen Video (ask for Howard or Ayal), Film Fest DVD (ask for JP), Revue Video (ask for Max), The Film Buff (ask for Scott), Black Dog Video, and Eyesore.

In Montreal it's La Boitte Noir (spelling?), aka Black Box.
posted by You Should See the Other Guy at 11:31 AM on November 24, 2009


Little Rock: RAO Video.
posted by box at 11:36 AM on November 24, 2009


In Vancouver, BC, my favourite is Happy Bats. I've also heard good things about Videomatica, Black Dog, Independent Flixx, Video Magic, and Reel Bulldog Video, but only from this, since I never venture outside my own neighborhood.
posted by PercussivePaul at 11:47 AM on November 24, 2009


That's Rentertainment in the Champaign/Urbana area.
posted by idiopath at 11:49 AM on November 24, 2009


Though I'd mention Videoport in Portland, ME and I see it's already got a few nods.
posted by mbatch at 11:58 AM on November 24, 2009


*Thought
posted by mbatch at 11:58 AM on November 24, 2009


It's not a huge city, but Media Wave in Fairfield, CT is awesome.
posted by elvissa at 12:07 PM on November 24, 2009


Generation X Video in Waterloo, Ontario.
posted by Gortuk at 12:20 PM on November 24, 2009


Videoport in Portland, ME seems not to have a website, but it is awesome regardless. I'm currently crossing my fingers that the broken links to videoport.org don't mean that the store has closed.

Portlanders, don't worry: Videoport is going strong! David Riley, I'm going to MeFimail you their mailing address along with a contact name there; my husband works at Videoport and writes their weekly newsletter The VideoReport (which you can pick up in-store or read here). He can make sure your package gets put straight into the owner's hands, and maybe give it a thumbnail review in the newsletter.

Best of luck to you!
posted by Elsa at 12:30 PM on November 24, 2009 [1 favorite]


Video Droid in Marin County, CA (Larkspur and Mill Valley, just north of SF)
posted by radioamy at 12:42 PM on November 24, 2009


Reel Video in Berkeley, CA.
posted by kms at 12:44 PM on November 24, 2009


In Montreal it's La Boitte Noir (spelling?), aka Black Box.

Here's the link to La Boite Noire.
posted by mhum at 1:06 PM on November 24, 2009


Film is Truth in Bellingham, WA
posted by bajema at 1:25 PM on November 24, 2009


Thomas Video in suburban Detroit.
posted by kc8nod at 1:29 PM on November 24, 2009


Since the best in town has already been mentioned, Here's a solid #2: Into Video, in San Francisco.
posted by toxic at 2:03 PM on November 24, 2009


The Movie Groove on the San Francisco Peninsula (in Redwood City).
posted by Daddio at 2:14 PM on November 24, 2009 [1 favorite]


Eddie Brandt's Saturday Matinee in North Hollywood, CA.

And Video West in Studio City, CA.
posted by BlahLaLa at 2:37 PM on November 24, 2009


Oops. Forgot A Video Store Named Desire.
posted by BlahLaLa at 2:38 PM on November 24, 2009


In Pittsburgh, try Dreaming Ant.
posted by tss at 2:41 PM on November 24, 2009


North Campus Video in Columbus, OH (also, the other Video Central locations in Columbus)

Also, The Movie Fan in Normal, IL
posted by ThaBombShelterSmith at 3:11 PM on November 24, 2009


old bank dvd in downtown los angeles.
posted by jimw at 3:20 PM on November 24, 2009


Four Star Video in Bernal Heights, San Francisco
posted by Señor Pantalones at 4:19 PM on November 24, 2009


Rocket Video, Cinefile and Vidiots in Los Angeles
posted by mattsweaters at 4:44 PM on November 24, 2009


I was going to suggest Heads Together in Pittsburgh, but I have discovered that it is closed! Tragedy.
posted by that girl at 5:41 PM on November 24, 2009


Also in Portland OR, Video Verite.
posted by tallus at 6:06 PM on November 24, 2009


Rosebud in Asheville NC
posted by ijoyner at 6:15 PM on November 24, 2009


Sneak Reviews in Charlottesville, Va.
posted by sethbabo at 6:56 PM on November 24, 2009


In Denver: Video One, (303) 832-4646, 1301 E Colfax Ave, Denver, CO 80218
posted by fieldtrip at 9:21 PM on November 24, 2009


Kensington Video and Citizen Video in San Diego.
posted by vespertine at 1:51 AM on November 25, 2009


Plan Nine Film Emporium, in Bloomington IN
posted by bookish at 9:49 AM on December 25, 2009


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