In today’s tragic news, the AAP is reporting that the last Blockbuster in Australia, and the second-last Blockbuster in the world, is closing its doors at the end of the month.
The store, located in the Perth suburb of Morley, will have a closing down sale starting on March 8th in which sentimental fans can pick up stock and even Blockbuster signs.
The owner, Lyn Borszeky, told the AAP:
“We put in a pretty good effort to be the last one in Australia, I suppose, but it was going to happen eventually and now is the time.”
She cited the rise of streaming services such as Netflix as a contributing factor.
There is now only one Blockbuster store left in the world, and it’s located in the town of Bend, Oregon. Last year, two Blockbuster stores in Alaska closed up shop, with the manager of one of the stores saying of the closures, “Let’s be real, you have Netflix, you have Redbox”.
The slow demise of Blockbuster has been depressing to watch – for many, it feels like the end of an era. While streaming is undoubtedly more convenient, who doesn’t have memories of going to Blockbuster on a Friday night to pick something out and trying to sneak in a packet of M&M’s at the checkout?
I’m showing my age, but I remember renting seasons of The O.C. and Gossip Girl from my local Blockbuster before Netflix had arrived in Australia. Back then, illegal downloads were one of the main things threatening Blockbuster’s business, but now most things are readily and legally available on one of several competing streaming services.
So rest in peace, Blockbuster (in Australia, at least). Thanks for all the memories. And here’s hoping the last store in the world somehow manages to keep on truckin’.
