west coast video closing?

[petula73.livejournal.com]

i heard that the west coast video is closing or relocating to another place in the square.

anybody know where they are going?

Comments

[ron_newman]

Where did you hear that?

If they close, I'd be very surprised to see them reopen elsewhere. Hollywood Express and Blockbuster together are enough for the local market. I notice that the big video store at Beacon and Washington streets, Movie Gallery, recently closed.

[petula73.livejournal.com]

A friend of a friend looked at the space recently.

It's been for rent for over a year...I saw it myself on craigslist.

I heard they were looking into the buck a book space, but I was wondering if anyone else heard that.

[ron_newman]

Another big video store that closed within the last year or so was Massive Video, at Somerville Avenue and Central Street. I recall that it started out as a West Coast Video store. A UPS store now occupies most of its former space, but a couple of Massive Video signs remain on the part of the store that they didn't take over.

[petula73.livejournal.com]

I believe WCV is a franchise if i remember correctly...

[ron_newman]

It's a chain, yet I can't find a web site for it. (The obvious choice, www.WestCoastVideo.com , belongs to a single local store in Southampton, Pennsylvania.)

[petula73.livejournal.com]

I just walked by and there is a sign in their window that says
"lost our lease"...

from my understanding they were supposed to be out of that spot already because my friend was told it was available for august 1st.

[ron_newman]

Hmm. Another possible location for the New Someday Cafe?

This page supposedly belongs to the West Coast Video chain, yet it lists only eight stores in Pennsylvania -- not incuding the Southampton store I mentioned above. Is this a former chain that has dissolved?

[petula73.livejournal.com]

I just called my friend and she said she took the space....

She said the ink isn't dry so she cannot start telling people yet.

[ron_newman]

Can you at least tell us whether it will be retail or restaurant?

[petula73.livejournal.com]

Local retail....a store that already exists in the square.

[tufts2120.livejournal.com]

I am pretty sure it's Poor Little Rich Girl-the consignment shop on Highland.

[ron_newman]

That makes sense. (I was wondering if it was Magpie or Spark Crafts.)

[schpahky.livejournal.com]

They could totally use a bigger space, too. If it's true...awesome!

[tufts2120.livejournal.com]

I totally agree.

They are really nice there, it's totally davis square funky, nice small independent business.

Now if something cool would just move into the buck a book space. I wonder if that will be a Halloween store again this year?

They're closing down and selling off.

[hauntmeister.livejournal.com]

I was just there. (8:00 PM Friday) They aren't doing rentals any more, and are selling off all their stock. DVD's 3/$24, VHS 5/$20. I scored the full Lord of the Rings set. Neah Neah. ;-)

The staff got notification this morning, but is uncertain when they'll close the doors for good. Me, I'm betting the end of the month, because leases typically turn over then.

[ron_newman]

I walked in there today. They will stay open a few more weeks for a "rolling liquidation" sale, bringing in merchandise from other stores as they deplete their own stock. It is possible that they will later close their Quincy store and reopen elsewhere in Davis Square.

West Coast Video no longer a real chain

[ron_newman]

I wrote to the webmaster of this site, asking why they listed only eight West Coast Video stores in Pennsylvania, and no others such as ours on Elm Street. She replied:

"West Coast Video stores are independently owned and operated. We have 8 stores which are all located in Central Pennsylvania. West Coast Video is no longer corporate. You can still use our website for the latest in video news, but we do not have any stores outside Central Pennsylvania."

Also, here's a 2001 article from a video business trade magazine, about West Coast Video selling all of its remaining stores to a liquidator.