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Blockbuster (Bend, Oregon)

Coordinates: 44°4′2″N 121°18′13″W / 44.06722°N 121.30361°W / 44.06722; -121.30361
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Blockbuster
The storefront in 2022
Map
Alternative namesThe Last Blockbuster
General information
Address211 NE Revere Avenue
Bend, Oregon
Coordinates44°4′2″N 121°18′13″W / 44.06722°N 121.30361°W / 44.06722; -121.30361
Opened1992 (as Pacific Video)
2000 (converted into Blockbuster franchise)[1]
OwnerKen Tisher
Known forLast remaining Blockbuster retail store
Website
bendblockbuster.com

Blockbuster, colloquially known as the Last Blockbuster, is a video rental store in Bend, Oregon. In 2018, it became the last Blockbuster store in the United States, and in 2019, it became the world's last remaining retail store using the Blockbuster brand.[2][3][4][5]

History

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Interior, 2018

Located at the intersection of U.S. Route 20 and Revere Avenue, the Blockbuster in Bend, Oregon, was opened by Ken and Debbie Tisher in 1992 as the second location of Pacific Video, a small video rental store chain in the state.[6] They previously attempted to negotiate a location by a Shopko near U.S. Route 97.[7] In an interview with The Bulletin regarding his first store, Tisher stated that he wanted to approach the video business as a "mom-and-pop store".[7] In 2000, Tisher converted it into a Blockbuster franchise store.[8] Sandi Harding has been the general manager since 2004.[9]

Blockbuster LLC closed all of its corporate-owned stores by early 2014, leaving the Bend location as one of 50 remaining franchise stores.[10] In July 2018, it became the last remaining Blockbuster in the United States, and in March 2019, the last in the world.[11] Dish Network, the owner of the Blockbuster trademark, no longer grants new franchises with the Blockbuster name, which has cemented the Bend store's status as the last Blockbuster.[12]

The location has become a popular tourist destination since becoming the last Blockbuster. Ken Tisher, who still owns the store,[13] continues to license the Blockbuster trademark from Dish Network on a yearly basis, which also allows the location to sell merchandise using the name.[3] The store stocks around 1,200 titles and has an estimated 4,000 members who regularly rent movies.[14][15]

In 2018, 10 Barrel, a local brewery, released a dark ale celebrating the store, named The Last Blockbuster (with flavor hints of red licorice);[16] it was released at a block party celebrating the store (when it had become the last in the U.S.). The Ellen DeGeneres Show visited the store for a prank hidden camera segment in May 2019 (when it had become the last Blockbuster in the world).[17] The store is the subject of the 2020 documentary film The Last Blockbuster, created by Bend filmmakers and featuring various celebrities, such as Kevin Smith, Brian Posehn, and Ione Skye; which was released on DVD and VHS and made available for streaming on Netflix.[18][19]

Storefront and lawn, 2022

The store continued to operate without laying off staff during the COVID-19 pandemic.[20] It hosted sleepovers via Airbnb in September 2020.[21][22]

The store was featured as a central plot point in the second episode of the 21st season of Family Guy, titled "Bend or Blockbuster".[23] The Netflix sitcom Blockbuster (2022), starring Randall Park and Melissa Fumero, is based on a fictionalized version of the last-remaining Blockbuster.[24]

In 2023, the store released a commercial on Instagram which first ran at the same time as the Super Bowl LVII halftime show. The ad features a lone cockroach journeying across the aftermath of an apparent global catastrophe until it arrives at the last Blockbuster, which is still open.[25][26][27] The store saw an uptick in sales following the ad's release.[28]

In 2024, it was estimated that about 80% of the store's income comes from selling merchandise. Because the majority of the DVD vendors that provided them with movies are now closed, and the remaining ones have minimum orders that are far too large for a single store, all new movies come from Walmart and Target.[29]

Memorabilia

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The store displays several pieces of film memorabilia that formerly belonged to actor Russell Crowe, including his hood from Robin Hood (2010), his robe and shorts (but not his jockstrap) from Cinderella Man (2005),[30] his vest from Les Misérables (2012), and director's chairs from American Gangster (2007). The pieces were gifted from the last operating Alaskan Blockbuster in Anchorage following its closure in July 2018. The items were originally donated to the Alaska store for an April 2018 segment of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.[31]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "'We didn't want to give in': Bend Blockbuster is last in the world". The Oregonian. Associated Press. March 18, 2019. Archived from the original on October 22, 2020. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  2. ^ Satherley, Dan (January 31, 2020). "Credits roll on NZ's last Blockbuster video store". Newshub.
  3. ^ a b Stump, Scott (March 7, 2019). "It's official: There's only one Blockbuster left in the world". Today. Archived from the original on October 31, 2020. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  4. ^ Horton, Alex (July 16, 2018). "'Why are you still here?': Inside the last Blockbuster in America". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on October 20, 2020.
  5. ^ Hsu, Tiffany (March 7, 2019). "The World's Last Blockbuster Has No Plans to Close (Published 2019)". The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 20, 2021. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  6. ^ "About". Blockbuster. Archived from the original on February 2, 2020. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  7. ^ a b Freeman, Mike (January 13, 1991). "Competition increases for local video stores". The Bulletin. The Bulletin. p. C-1. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  8. ^ Pedersen, Nathan (January 22, 2021). "Last Blockbuster Video Store in the U.S." The Oregon Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on August 12, 2020. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  9. ^ Pittman, Travis (July 18, 2018). "The last Blockbuster in America: How it survived while all others failed". KGW. Archived from the original on July 21, 2018.
  10. ^ "Dish to close rest of its Blockbuster stores in US". Deseret News. Associated Press. November 6, 2013. Archived from the original on March 19, 2021. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  11. ^ Abrams, Abigail (July 12, 2018). "There Will Only Be 1 Blockbuster in America Soon". Time. Archived from the original on January 19, 2021. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  12. ^ "'The Last Blockbuster': Why You Can't Open Your Own Store Anymore". TheWrap. March 20, 2021. Retrieved March 20, 2021.
  13. ^ Place, Nathan (March 16, 2021). "The true story of the world's last Blockbuster". The Independent. Archived from the original on July 3, 2021. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  14. ^ Powers, Jenny (September 17, 2019). "Be kind, rewind: The last Blockbuster on Earth is not only surviving, but thriving as a tourist destination". Roadtrippers. Archived from the original on January 16, 2021. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  15. ^ Harding, Sandi (May 17, 2019). "Experience: I manage the last Blockbuster in the world". The Guardian. Archived from the original on February 7, 2021. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  16. ^ Kryza, Andy (August 27, 2018). "The Last Blockbuster Video Is Getting Its Own Craft Beer". Thrillist. Archived from the original on November 11, 2020.
  17. ^ "Kevin the Cashier at the Last Blockbuster". May 6, 2019. Retrieved March 20, 2021 – via YouTube.
  18. ^ Jasper, David (June 25, 2020). "Talking blockbusters with 'The Last Blockbuster' filmmaker". The Bulletin. Archived from the original on October 6, 2020.
  19. ^ Turnquist, Kristi (March 9, 2021). "'The Last Blockbuster' documentary, about Bend video store, is coming to Netflix in 'an ironic twist of fate'". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on March 10, 2021.
  20. ^ Aubrey, Elizabeth (May 14, 2020). "The world's last remaining Blockbuster store still open despite coronavirus". New Musical Express. Archived from the original on January 26, 2021.
  21. ^ Madani, Doha (August 11, 2020). "World's last Blockbuster transforms into '90s-themed Airbnb". NBC News. Archived from the original on March 10, 2021.
  22. ^ Chin, Monica (August 17, 2020). "The world's last Blockbuster is now open for slumber parties". The Verge. Archived from the original on February 7, 2021.
  23. ^ Bambino, Samantha (October 3, 2022). "Does The Bend, Oregon Blockbuster From Family Guy Season 21 Episode 2 Actually Exist? - Looper". Looper.com. Retrieved October 5, 2022.
  24. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (November 18, 2021). "Netflix Gets Last Laugh With Blockbuster Video Store Comedy Series Starring Randall Park". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
  25. ^ Haring, Bruce (February 11, 2023). "Blockbuster Video Will Run An Ad During The Super Bowl". Deadline. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
  26. ^ Kavilanz, Parija (February 12, 2023). "The last surviving Blockbuster has an Instagram ad timed for the Super Bowl". CNN. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
  27. ^ "The Official Last Blockbuster on Instagram: 'For those of you that missed our live screening…'". Instagram. February 12, 2023. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
  28. ^ Mayfield, Blake (February 28, 2023). "World's Last Blockbuster in Bend still seeing surge in sales, visitors sparked by online Super Bowl ad". KTVZ. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
  29. ^ Carmel, Julia (April 6, 2024). "A trip to the last Blockbuster on Earth". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 18, 2024.
  30. ^ "Russell Crowe Gets His Jockstrap Back in Elaborate 'Last Week Tonight' Heist". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on November 21, 2018. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
  31. ^ Spurr, Kyle (September 20, 2018). "Bend filmmakers document the last Blockbuster". The Bulletin. Archived from the original on February 10, 2021. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
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