Someone Built An Entire Video Rental Store In Their Basement

While movie theaters in some markets are making plans to cautiously re-open with restrictions in place, TikTok user thevideobunker is single-handedly trying to revive video stores--kind of. "During quarantine, my husband built a video rental store in our basement," the account holder explains in a first-person guided tour of a surprisingly authentic and spacious setup that, indeed, looks exactly like a video store.

After the local Family Video store closed in 2020, thevideobunker explains, it gave her husband access to "a lot of shelving" and both the idea and inclination to focus on this "instead of refinishing our kitchen cabinets." But this isn't just some dingy basement with a few shelves--it's a legitimate full-fledged facsimile of a video store, complete with an entrance through a front door on a brick wall and neon sign in the window.

Inside, the space is full of DVDs and Blu-rays, a cash register, drink fridge, snacks, and memorabilia from assorted films. There's even an additional viewing room off to the side complete with two recliners, wall-to-wall VHS tapes, a LaserDisc player, and retro video games. The account, which launched recently, only has two videos so far--after the initial tour, another video was uploaded answering one viewer's question: "Where's the adults only section?" Thevideobunker's husband replies: "It's up here, behind the counter, so you'll have to blush when you ask for titles."

If you're on one of the coasts and don't have access to a basement like this, take heart--both greater New York and Los Angeles area movie theater markets are winding their way to re-open.