Streetlevel: Free of Video Free Brooklyn on Fifth

Video Free Brooklyn, the sister store to the one on Smith Street, has shuttered its doors. The store opened at 145 Fifth Avenue, at Douglass Street, back in February. Are folks cutting DVDs from their household budgets, too? We got the news from Brooklynian, but GL's source reports that "the level of rentals, and therefore revenue, wasn’t high enough to cover the expensive Fifth Avenue rent." GMAP

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Feel bad whenever anyone loses money - but come on - opening a video rental store in 2008 - I have like 30 channels of movies on demand - unlimited download choices from the internet and I can buy almost any DVD for under $20. Not to mention Netflix.....

Posted by: fsrg at December 11, 2008 2:22 PM

I haven't been in a video rental store in 5 years.

I don't think this has anything to do with anything, except the fact that people use Netflix now.

Nothing else to read into it.

Posted by: 11217 at December 11, 2008 2:25 PM

o/~ Netflix Killed The Video Store o/~

I can get my movies delivered in the mail or directly thru the internet. No real need to go to a video store. I feel bad to see small businesses going under, but the writing's been on the wall in this market for some time.

Posted by: cwbuecheler at December 11, 2008 2:32 PM

i'm surprised the one on smith st. has survived this long. though i have netflix, i like the option of the last-minute, between-mailings movie. at the same time, EVERY SINGLE TIME i get a rental from video free, it skips. i've overheard other customers make the same complaint, with no refund offered... hmm... not really a viable business model...

Posted by: ms_boerum at December 11, 2008 2:35 PM

The store has been losing money from day one. The closing has nothing to do with the economy.

Posted by: FGCHill at December 11, 2008 2:36 PM

Next in line are all those Pharmacies that opened along Court and Smith street. Do people eat medicine? Talk about poor planning and not having a business plan.

Posted by: hannible at December 11, 2008 2:39 PM

It's explained by the fact that even my parents use Netflix.

Posted by: BrooklynButler at December 11, 2008 2:45 PM

I haven't rented DVDs in ages because I simply borrow them from the library for free. I realize some people find it too inconvenient to be dropping by their local library branch every week, but if the library is along your way then it's the perfect solution. You can request the movies online just like Netflix. And you can keep the DVD for a week, longer than most rental stores. All for free, what can be better!

Posted by: lj12345 at December 11, 2008 2:48 PM

Movie Rental in 2008 = Sliderule Sales after TI introduced the calculator

Posted by: fsrg at December 11, 2008 2:48 PM

true that video stores and even record stores are a bit out-dated, but it is kinda fun to shop in both. it's sorta sad that the internet ruined both of those experiences. oh well.. the internet sorta kinda ruined a lot of the fun things in life. some people even think the internet ruined gay culture lol

*rob*

Posted by: PitbullNYC at December 11, 2008 3:18 PM

rob, you mean craigslist is bad for gay culture? Coulda fooled me!

Posted by: denton at December 11, 2008 3:24 PM

modern gay culture is wack, but so is old school gay culture. some days i just dont like being gay cuz it's just so cheesey. i think id make a better straight person.

*rob*

Posted by: PitbullNYC at December 11, 2008 3:30 PM

When this place opened I thought:

"They don't have a chance. They are almost certainly paying much more rent than the previous tenant and how can they compete with Netflix?"

My next thought was:

"So, at what point will commercial landlords worry more about the business viability of their tenants than the monthly rent they are willing to sign a lease for? Possibly never..."

I know commercial districts like 5th ave will always have turnover, but I wonder if we will be seeing more vacant store fronts in the next year or so. The corner deli right next to this place closed months ago and there is no sign of anything happening there.

Posted by: northsloperenter at December 11, 2008 4:29 PM

I have been a member at the Smith St location for years and even with DVD buys and Netflix I STILL rent quite a bit. I guess I'm an anomaly. I rent 4-10 titles a week (no exaggeration) and maybe get a skipping DVD once or twice -a year-. So...I have nothing but good to say about them...

However, sadly, their selection is surprisingly mainstream given the sophistication and cahet of their community. I don't expect Mondo Kims but sometimes I'm shocked at how few foreign, art and documentary bases they cover and how many Dumb and Dumber movies they seem to stock.

Maybe this part of Brooklyn is less urbane than I thought. I dunno.

Posted by: Prodigal_Son at December 11, 2008 6:49 PM

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December 11, 2008

Streetlevel: Free of Video Free Brooklyn on Fifth

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