- Blockbuster is almost down to a single location in the entire United States: a shop in Bend, Oregon.
- On Thursday, Blockbuster announced that the final two locations in Alaska would close next week.
- The Bend location is beloved by locals and a hot spot for nostalgic tourists eager to see the last Blockbuster in America.
Blockbuster's last stand in the United States is in Bend, Oregon.
2018-07-21On Thursday, Blockbuster announced that the last two stores Alaska would close up shop next week. That will leave just one Blockbuster location in the entire US.
The holdout is in Bend, a city in central Oregon with an estimated population just shy of 100,000. As the last Blockbuster locations across the US have closed — with two other Blockbusters in Oregon closing in recent months — travelers have begun making their way to Bend in a nostalgic pilgrimage to the video-rental chain.
For Blockbuster lovers desperately missing the store, and for video-rental virgins raised on Netflix, here's what it's like to visit the last remaining Blockbuster in the US.
Bend's Blockbuster sign is instantly recognizable and a guaranteed nostalgia trigger for any child of the '90s.
Last Blockbuster in the lower 48 😎
A post shared by Shanna Wester (@shawester) on Jul 1, 2018 at 7:18pm PDT
Inside, the store remains the same, though videotapes have been swapped for DVDs.
Blockbuster still exists! #bendoregon #blockbuster #blockbustervideo
A post shared by thefeltedrenob (@thefeltedrenob) on Jul 8, 2018 at 6:00pm PDT
You can still open a membership and rent movies for a $30 monthly fee.
A post shared by Katharine Pan (@hahaokpan)
Source: Bend Bulletin
Some locals continue to depend on Blockbuster to rent movies, even in the age of Netflix.
A post shared by Ash (@ashsmashreed) on Dec 30, 2017 at 1:21pm PST
"I think it's really neat that we still have one," Sharon Schoettler told The Bend Bulletin. "I love the selection. They have a little bit of everything."
A post shared by Chase Millsap (@tran7777) on Jun 26, 2018 at 9:18pm PDT
Source: Bend Bulletin
However, much of the store's notoriety comes from out-of-towners who are amazed that a Blockbuster remains open.
It's going down 🎬♥️ #itsmellslikethe90sinhere#blockbusternight#stoked#thankyouoregon#movietime
A post shared by Brandy Fischer (@sunnyside1407) on Mar 26, 2018 at 7:32pm PDT
One Yelp review of the location says: "HOLY CRAP! A LIVING, BREATHING, GOD HONEST BLOCKBUSTER! My kids were clueless, my wife and I ecstatic...we took pictures, we wandered around in amazement at the sight...we took in the smell...YES...IT EVEN HAS THAT BLOCKBUSTER SMELL of popcorn and boxed candies and plastic cases."
A post shared by lukecobrae (@lukecobrae) on Jul 12, 2018 at 12:22am PDT
Source: Yelp
Sandi Harding, the store manager, said she even gets requests from people asking her to mail them a Blockbuster card.
“Does anyone still go to blockbuster?” 🤦🏻♂️😂🍻💿📀📼🎞📽📺 #blockbuster #bendoregon #workmode
A post shared by Lucas (@lucas_dabss) on Jan 19, 2018 at 5:53pm PST
Source: Bend Bulletin
Harding said she believes Blockbuster remains relevant despite the rise of streaming services.
So I guess my superpower is #timetravel #blockbuster #1998 #bladerunner2049
A post shared by Johnny Miller (@johnnyontheroad) on Jan 24, 2018 at 6:53pm PST
"We have loyal customers, and because of them, we've been able to stay open longer than most other locally owned Blockbusters across America," Harding told the local news station KBND earlier this year.
A post shared by Jose (@jrome2032) on Aug 28, 2017 at 8:02pm PDT
Source: KBND
But there is a reason beyond relevance that the Bend Blockbuster has managed to stay alive as other locations have perished.
this is what my day off consists of 🤩
A post shared by Alexandra Rose (@_alxxrose) on Nov 9, 2017 at 12:41pm PST
According to Harding, the location's owner owns the portion of the building, meaning the store doesn't have to worry about paying rent.
A post shared by Katie Topberry (@mrs.hippies.baked.goods) on Sep 7, 2017 at 6:11pm PDT
Source: Bend Bulletin
Still, the Blockbuster is fighting an uphill battle to remain open.
The last unicorn! #blockbuster #thisisreallife #theysaiditwasdead
A post shared by Beth Tranter (@bethbun) on Jul 8, 2017 at 10:04am PDT
If you want to see the lone survivor, you better start your road trip soon before it is also forced to close up shop.
A post shared by Sean Saly (@professor_loquacious) on Aug 21, 2017 at 8:14am PDT
