Few video rental stores left in Vancouver, owners work to keep industry alive

In the wake of the Black Dog Video store closure, only a few movie rental stores remain in Vancouver and the owners are hoping to revive what many believe is a fading industry.

Video Cat on Cambie Street is one of the last standing businesses that rents and sells videos through a membership, similar to Blockbuster’s model. The owner, R.J. Rudd took over the store at the beginning of the pandemic and says although it’s a dying industry, he believes his store provides plenty of value to movie fans

“We’re a cultural landmark in Vancouver and we’ve been trying to keep independent cinema and things that are not mainstream, and not available on streaming platforms accessible to people,” he said. “And it’s just a fun place to be.”

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Although taking on a business during the pandemic is a large undertaking, Rudd says it was a risk worth taking in order to carry on his passion.

“I had a choice to carry it on or just give up basically, and I decided I obviously didn’t know how long it was going to last or anything so I just took a chance and took it over.”

Rudd adds he’s in it for the long haul and says it feels special to be one of the last video rental stores in the city.

“Honestly, it feels kind of special. So I am in it for the fight to keep it going, and I hope to do so.”

Although video rental shops are a dwindling business, many film buffs use the shops as a way to find hidden gems, niche genres, and access older movies that may be more difficult to find and download.

Rudd says although the demand is not the same as it once was, he believes the smaller community of people who find joy in the video shop will manage to keep the business alive and thriving.