Minneapolis’ Last Movie Rental Store Is Closing
After a 15-year run, Movies on 35th in Minneapolis is closing its doors for good.
A post shared August 3 on The Movies on 35th Street's Facebook page marks the closing of Minneapolis' last movie rental store:
"It's been a great 15 years and I appreciate all your support. Running my own business was a dream of mine and I am thrilled with the result. I've learned and grown so much and most of all... I have a lot of great memories. THANK YOU!"
Owner Tim Horton cites "the constant barrage of 'technology,'" as the reason he has to close up shop, to the disappointment and heartbreak of many.
The Star Tribune reports that after The Movies on 35th Street (a nod to the Christmas movie The Miracle on 34th Street) opened in 2003, it quickly became a neighborhood hotspot. Even celebrities visited. Horton recalls the time Prince and Judith Hill walked in and rented two movies, though they only returned one; the other is over 1,000 days late, he told The Star Tribune.
The first movie Horton ever rented out was 2002's Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. A new and nervous business owner at the time, he admits that he rented it out for free. To date, he's rented out 376,074 movies.
But with the growth and convenience of streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime, movie rental sales have continued to drop, and -- Horton admits -- it was finally time to close up shop.
While The Movies on 35th Street will be open for "another month or two," Horton is selling his stock of movies.
"Please come in, spend lavishly and take several pieces of The Movies on 35th Street home with you!" he shares on Facebook.
It truly is the end of an era.
Source: Star Tribune