Blockbuster Video To Close Final Alaska Locations Later This Year

By the end of 2018, there will be only one remaining Blockbuster Video location in the United [...]

By the end of 2018, there will be only one remaining Blockbuster Video location in the United States -- in Bend, Oregon.

That revelation comes as a result of Alaska's final pair of Blockbusters announcing a closure which will begin next week. Blockbuster Alaska announced via its Facebook account that its Anchorage and Fairbanks stores will close for rental business on Monday, then reopen at noon on Tuesday to begin liquidating stock. The liquidation sales will run through the rest of July and August.

"We regret to inform our customers that Blockbuster Video will be closing both the College and Debarr stores starting July 16th," read a note from Blockbuster Alaska District Manager Kelli Vey and General Manager Kevin Daymude. "We will reopen for our inventory sale on Tuesday, July 17th at 12 noon and will run through the months of July and August. These are the last two Blockbuster stores in Alaska that survived and it is sad to say goodbye to our dedicated customers. We have thought of you as family for the past 28 years. Both Kelli Vey and I (Kevin Daymude) have been with the company since 1991 and have had great memories throughout our career. Thank you for sticking by us throughout all these years. I can't tell you how much it means to us. We hope to see you at our stores during the closing, even if it's just to say "Hello". What a great time to build your media library and share some Blockbuster memories with us."

The company, which once boasted nearly 10,000 locations in the U.S., was founded by Waste Management founder and former Florida Marlins owner Wayne Huizenga, who passed away earlier this year. The company filed for bankruptcy in 2010 and was bought out by Dish Network in 2011. While all Blockbuster corporate stores have been closed in the U.S. for some time, a third party licensed the name from Dish and had been operating Blockbuster stores in recent years.

Texas and Alaska used to be popular locations for Blockbuster because of the poor quality of high-speed internet service and high prices. As technology has begun to catch up with the rest of the world, the need for brick-and-mortar stores has decreased. Blockbuster's model, which brought the big-box store mentality to home entertainment, is particularly difficult to maintain in that environment.

In 2013, there were thirteen Blockbuster stores in Alaska, which fell to nine by 2016. Only two remain now, and by the fall, there will be none.

Chains like Movie Gallery, Video King, and Hollywood Video have also collapsed as the market has shifted dramatically toward streaming, although Family Video remains a thriving enterprise with over 700 locations in North America.

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