It looks like the end of the road for two Uptown businesses:Blockbuster at Clark and Wilson, and the Uptown Buyback Center and Recycling Station on Sheridan near Leland. Check the website for any further information (right now it just says "closed for the winter").
I'm sad about that Blockbuster. The employees were always very friendly and the business is much needed at that intersection.
ReplyDeleteAs for the recycling center, I'm confused by it. The "buy back" part is closed, but I think you can still drop off your recycling there sometimes? Some days, the gates are open...
You hate to see them go but it`s the change of times and the economy is what put them to rest. Illinois is not business friendly with all the high tax rates they throw at businesses and residents. The worse is yet to come. I don`t know which is worse, the ones from the white house or the state house. They surely will change many cities and towns all over into ghost towns...
ReplyDeleteI believe the recycling center is still open, though that sign is somewhat confusing.
ReplyDeleteYeah, like EVERYONE with a DVD player is a movie geek who wants to subscribe to Netflix! I tried BB's "alternative" web-based rental service but it didn't work for me, financially or otherwise, because I have other things to do in my spare time and don't have the need or inclination to rent flicks in bulk.
ReplyDeleteActually, BB was my fall-back store during the time when I lived just a half-block away from a "mom & pop" rental that went under a few years ago.
For a lot of people, sometimes the mood hits to rent a movie "spontaneously" and it's nice to have a store (corporate or independent) within easy distance to get the job done.
Oh well, there's always Specialty Video...
Meh. Internet killed the video star.
ReplyDeleteBlaming a Blockbuster's closing on tax rates is insane.
ReplyDeleteBlockbuster is really hard up - I believe that the one on Lincoln/Irving Park/Damen is closing as well.
ReplyDeletethe recycling center IS still open for drop off, just not for "buying" more valuable recyclables. the gates to the lot are closed on tuesdays and sometimes on sundays.
ReplyDeletethe reduced staff at the location however has resulted in a messy lot. the glass bins are overflowing and there are cans and paper strewn all over the ground. i would be very sad if this resource were to disappear, as uptown's green spewing alderwoman hasn't approved the blue bins for all our neighborhoods yet.
I hate taxes as much as the next guy, but that Blockbuster closed because the market for video rental stores is shrinking very quickly. The proliferation of DVRs and Video-on-demand has meant that most people don't need to go to the store anymore to get a movie. BB was already playing with razor thin margins, so this closing is in no way shocking.
ReplyDeleteIn fact, that store closing is pure capitalism. They had a product that people didn't want anymore, so they went out of business.
Yes Brett, the BB at Lincoln/Irving is closing too. The one on Lawrence near Western will remain open for the Netflix-averse movie fans.
ReplyDeleteThe sign says that they are moving- anyone have any more info as to where or when?
ReplyDeleteI disagree on the taxes and agree more with competition. Big box video rental places (mainly Blockbuster and Hollywood Video) have been struggling for years. Mainly from Netflix, on-demand and the internets.
ReplyDeleteRedBox has also caught on...can't beat a new release flick for a buck. Not sure if there is one by this Blockbuster.
BBs have been closing for years. The one on Clark and Deming? (the one in Lakeview) closed at least a couple years ago now and I've seen many others since. It is not taxes closing them, it is the lack of business with all the new video rental outlets. I would imagine the bb on Broadway/Berwyn will close any month now. Sucks to have empty storefronts nonetheless.
ReplyDeleteHollywood,
ReplyDeleteMost of the Jewels in the area have a red box, so anyone going that BB would have access to Red Box.
This recent business news article (June 20, 2009) may help explain as well...see quote near the end
ReplyDelete"Blockbuster still trails Netflix in DVDs by mail, and is also closing a growing number of unprofitable stores."
http://www.newser.com/article/d98ur9po0/redboxs-machines-take-on-netflixs-red-envelopes.html#continuedBelow
Wow Imagine that..a company becomes obsolete,and fails to change with the times and the Government doesn't bail them out?
ReplyDeleteThis is America we can't just let a company go under! We need to pump more and more money in to it until it becomes the burden of our Children and their Children.
Has anyone written to Obama about this store?
Chip - you're comparing apples to oranges. Blockbuster is what, a $500M entity that employs 10's of thousands, while GM is a $150 Billion entity which employs well over 100,000 people here in the states well-paying jobs. Not to mention all the suppliers. If GM crumbled, the results would be catastrophic. If Blockbuster were gone, no big loss.
ReplyDeleteWhat's killing Blockbuster and Netflix are the Red Box vending machines you see at Jewel. Folks think they are a bargain at $1/day, but usually end up keeping movies 3-5 days and incurring additional fees. Still cheap by Blockbuster standards. The real beauty is almost zero local overhead. No rent, no real employees, just the electric bill and outsource to someone to check the machine stock. And people thought vending machines were a thing of the past...
ReplyDeleteI checked and it's not moving, it just directed people to the Broadway/Berwyn or Western/Lawrence store.
ReplyDeleteThere is very little left in the store now. All previously viewed DVD's were $7.99. The previously viewed TV box sets were $14.99...that seemed like the best deal to me. The new DVD's were only 10% off, not really worth it.
Hollywood I am sure those 100,000 would beg to differ that loosing their jobs is "no big loss."
ReplyDeleteBut hey feel free to live in the land where the Government picks winners and losers. I believe they call that..whats the word..um..fa..fa..oh yeah FASCISM!
But hey you Union folks have to stick together, even if it brings us all down. We bailed GM out so that they wouldn't have to go in to Bankruptcy Court and BAM they are in that very court. We passed a Stimulus Bill so that Unemployment wouldn't pass 9%...Uh oh we are at 9.5% and climbing!
as for why the recycling center isn't buying things back right now, has anyone looked at commodity prices recently? I'm betting that's why they aren't buying back right now.
ReplyDeleteI worked in the brick and mortar video retail industry about 10 years ago, and even back then the Blockbusters and Hollywood Videos of the world were anticipating these shifts in technology and started to do what they could to diversify.
ReplyDeleteIt's simply a dying retail structure that I feel will likely disappear altogether within the next 5-10 years. I'm actually surprised they've held on for this long.
I hope the one at Broadway/Berwyn stays open as I'm not much of a couch potato/Hollywood supporter but I do love to stop in here for candy and pop now and then (every other store in the area seems to be too scared to stay open after 8:00 p.m. - guess it's a Chicago thang).
ReplyDeleteThanks for staying open late Blockbuster.
Wow- picked up 6 DVD's for $50 last night- 2 f them brand new releases!
ReplyDeleteBlockbuster is closing because of changing demands in the market. GM was in trouble because of bad management. Two different things. Next, Chip will be asking why no one bailed out the rotary phone industry.
ReplyDeleteI think GM also didn't keep up with the demands of the market, which is why they're in trouble. When there's waiting lists for the Prius that are a few years long, and you keep giving people Hummers, that's a problem. The government should have let them all fail, started their own bank, and given money to new start-ups so we can have plug in cars within the next 5-10 years, instead of the next 20-30. It's time to get off the grid. It's time to realize that the government isn't out for your best interest. Please question everything, it's the only way real change is going to start.
ReplyDeleteI don't think Chip was defending a bialout of Blockbuster, but kinda celebrating the fact that the normal course of action is being allowed to transpire.
ReplyDeleteAnd MOTS, just what is your point? Poor management is a reason to be bailed out? Please tell me you don't believe that. Furthermore please, please, PLEASE don't tell me you think the government is a better set of hands.
And MOTS, just what is your point? Poor management is a reason to be bailed out? Please tell me you don't believe that. Furthermore please, please, PLEASE don't tell me you think the government is a better set of hands.
ReplyDeleteMy point is that he was arguing apples and oranges. Nothing more. I said nothing about how I feel about the bailout, if that wasn't obvious.