You Don't Really Miss Blockbuster - by Chris Dalla Riva
Before talking about some weird nostalgia that I’ve noticed online, I want to remind you that each month we do a mailbag edition of this newsletter where I answer reader questions. Last month’s just came out a few days ago, and it was a ton of fun. I looked into musical death and pop song budgets, among many other things. We are now open for this month’s mailbag.
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Going to Blockbuster usually occurred in one of two situations in my childhood home. First, we were staying in on the weekend and needed something to do in the evening. Second, either me or one of my sisters was sick and my mom needed something to occupy us while we laid on the couch all day. In either case, I loved going to rent movies. I loved walking the aisles and getting to pick out something of my own. I loved the chance of maybe getting a treat at the checkout counter. I’d go so far as to say that I loved Blockbuster. Or at least I thought I did.
Things started to change as the 2000s marched on. First, our Comcast cable package began to include scores of movies to rent. That was great. You didn’t have to leave the house to get a movie. There was still a large selection. And it only cost a few bucks to rent for something like 48 hours.
