Only one Blockbuster video store remains in the US, after two close in Alaska
It looks like the swan song may have finally arrived for video rental chain Blockbuster, with the announcement that two branches in Alaska are to close next week.
The closures mean that there will be just one store left, in the city of Bend, Oregon.
“These are the last two Blockbuster stores in Alaska that survived and it is sad to say goodbye to our dedicated customers. We have thought of you as family for the past 28 years,” wrote Blockbuster District Manager Kelli Vey and General Manager Kevin Daymude in a post on Facebook.
“Thank you for sticking by us throughout all these years. I can’t tell you how much it means to us. We hope to see you at our stores during the closing, even if it’s just to say ‘Hello’. What a great time to build your media library and share some Blockbuster memories with us.”
Many of the last branches of the once-sprawling chain have shuttered in recent years.
The branch in Anchorage hit the news earlier in the summer when comedian and talk show host John Oliver bought up items from Russell Crowe’s recent memorabilia sale, including the jock strap from Cinderella Man, and donated them to the store.
For many, Blockbuster was a gateway to discovering movies, with nearly 10,000 stores worldwide, employing over 84,000 at its peak.
However, with the advent of streaming services, business dwindled, and in 2010, the firm filed for bankruptcy.
In 2011, its remaining 1,700 stores were bought by satellite TV provider Dish Network, though branches continued to close, until just six franchises in Alaska, two in Oregon and one in Texas remained, as of earlier this year.
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