My Odds & Ends: AMENDMENT #2!!!

[BrandonDaCollector]

Oh boy, here is a showcase that I have been longing to do for quite sometime. I have mentioned this on many, many occasions in My topics and elsewhere on the board, this huge showcase will be about and deal with Movie Rental Outlets from My time locally as well as nationally. I have been showing many locations of stores in My local areas from My childhood as well as other times that has since fallen into unfortunate limbo as many people doesn't think of them as important or they just don't remember nor know about them. I am not letting any of that happen because they were all special to Me because My Grandparents especially My Grandma MiMi went to all of these locations and it was so fun doing so. If it wasn't for her I wouldn't have had this passion for this sort of thing. It was just another fun time like when We'd go to National and the like. I worked quite hard to bring all of this to fruition as this was all a special part of My life. ALL of these places are gone and most are forgotten and again, I am not letting that slide. My store experiences will mostly be in order with commentaries with random exceptions and I will provide these selections with some crucial videos that that I got there as well as a bonuses. Get ready for a huge video rental showcase unlike any you have seen before and this is without a shadow of a single doubt the most imperative presentation I have EVER done

Rainbow Video was the first one I ever went to. They were just down the street from where We lived during this time. My Grandma discovered it because it was right across the street from Tru-Buy whom I have already presented before. I was going with her during these great times and she told Me "Angel", they got movies and like a little happy spoiled brat I wanted to go there. It was a happy place that was only run by one woman, shame I don't recall her name but she was younger and brunette I know. The place was quite small but she managed to make it big and it all looked good. I loved picking up the VHS boxes. I discovered many movies over there such as Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend, Attack of the Super Monsters, Unico and much more. I had My Grandma MiMi rent Me Ghostbusters countless times as I have talked about before in My topics but there was one particular film that I found over there in the corner (I recall how the layout of the building was very well) , I absolutely loved the box and it was right up My alley...it was the underrated classic film from 1985 called My Science Project



I have adored this movie My Science Project and is in My top 10 favorite movies of ever of all-time. So moving on I was a big Bruce Lee fan, over at Rainbow Video she had a 1976 biopic of him titled Bruce Lee - The Man/The Myth I loved this one so much I wanted My Grandma to buy it for Me and she was able to work a deal like she usually could cause she was just good at that This was the only movie that I got from there but I believe it was My very first movie to own of this nature like this...such a great memory It doesn't have it's original box but it was the real tape and this is truly My HOLY GRAIL of all the movies I own from My past




Here is her beautiful logo/sticker she had on her video tapes...gosh I love that BLUE I am mostly one of the very few people in existence that HAS THIS and knows this history of Rainbow Video and I feel so fortunate that I have such an obscure piece of history because with Me Rainbow Video will never be forgotten



So here is the building of what was once Rainbow Video. See, she was quite literally right across the street from Tru-Buy...recognize it from My National & Go-Bot showcases



One other moment I remember there was We missed out on seeing the live action MOTU film at the show. She had a small stand-up there on the counter and I wanted it but I was disappointed that she couldn't depart with it because of company reasons and also there was a MOTU poster/billboard on the wall of the cool bakery across the street near Tru-Buy's parking lot. I was always so excited about it till they took it down



So after this her store was failing and she went out of business It was a sad time here because I had good times at My young age however. We lost contact with her. Not too long after she left her building was occupied by somebody new. My Grandma told Me and I was a excited about it...his name was The Ringmaster or Ring Maker. I do not recall his actual name however, I just called him that. He was truly master. I was quite amazed at what he could do. He was basically a modern blacksmith He could turn anything into a ring or other kind of jewelry. In fact My Grandma got Me a plastic Wolf Ring out of the vending machine at Tru-Buy and gave it to him and he casted it into solid iron and I wore it very faithfully for years. He did the same for her as well as My Grandpa. He was the story of the house for a long while. I was huge on Batman 89 during this time, a coincidence that he looked like Jack Nicholson with long hair, I mean he had his expressions and all that, I loved The Ring Master Like My Grandparents, he was an avid biker. Sadly he got into a very bad accident and he was crippled for life Even though this happen to him this didn't bring him down, he was still working hard. He had an assistant this time around. A young blonde woman. I remember one day We were actually talking about wrestling and she revealed to Me & My Grandma that she was dating Brian Knobbs of the Nasty Boys tag team I couldn't believe it and she couldn't either cause We were watching him with Jerry Sags in WCW during this period. The gal said he's really nice. It has always been a mystery if she was Greg "The Hammer" Valentine's wife's sister because that's whom he married Darn shame We never asked So The Ring Maker had a big aquarium there full of exotic life, much of the critters was illegal to own at the time but he didn't care about it. I told him one day that he looked like Jack Nicholson and he was flattered and thanked Me. By time We moved in 1990 he was out of business and We never saw him again I never met a man so cool like him ever since. Maybe if I can find My special jewelry that he made Me I can showcase them and talk about The Ring Master The building is still there but it always looks empty. I have no clue what or who is there at this current moment of time, is all I know I'm quite proud to know the great people who, were there long ago and that was Rainbow Video & The Ring Master and they will always be in My mind forever

[BrandonDaCollector]

Now here is one that I have talked about many times within the board but unfortunately nobody ever acknowledges it for whatever reason they may have. This one is none other than Mr. T's This great video store was My favorite one of all. Thanks to My Grandma, I got to experience one heck of a time and one heck of a lady named Verna. MiMi discovered her around the time of Rainbow Video, possibly a bit after or even before. Verna was so nice, thank goodness I recall her name because I didn't recall the nice woman's name over at Rainbow Video. I also recall what she looked like. She was brunette, a bit on the heavy side but quite attractive like a mixture of Sherri Martel & Adrienne Barbeau and had a personalty similar like Kirstie Alley, just think how women in the 80s & early 90s looked so good and classic. Verna's original location was on Morgan Ford near Chippewa in her own complex then for whatever reason she moved to a different location further on down Morgan Ford Road across the street from Bevo Mill that was just a block or so away from My school. She shared a building with a comic shop but more on that later. As a youngster I really recall her first building quite well but I have more memories of her second one however in her first location is where I found The Monster Squad not too long after it came out in 1987 So at her second shop She had tons of VHS tapes to rent as well as video games for the NES. Unfortunately she went out of business before she could do the SNES but we'll get to that sad stuff in time. She was the nicest video gal you could ever meet. My Grandma knew so many people back then and all of'em were good but Verna was the sweetest. She always made her place so cool for the holidays especially for Halloween. I remember she had spider-webs & a brand new Chucky Doll hangin' up I believe in 1990, it was great seeing that I loved when you would walk in her building and open the front door, the NEW RELEASES was RIGHT THERE IN YOUR FACE MATE as My Grandpa PoPo would say. It was in 1989, I remember she had 1985's Boggy Creek II: And the Legend Continues right there and one day I immediately saw it, We rented it and I loved



She had tons of stuff which was rare including the VHS of 1963's Jason and the Argonauts and so much more. Before I get any further here is an honorable mention that I posted in PB's Movie Trailer topic a while back...

OK, here is My bit on Body Slam. It was out in 1987. At the time I really didn't care about the actors, I wanted to see the wrestlers. I knew most of'em then. Here is the VHS cover. I first saw this of at Verna's Mr. T's. I have spoke about her many times. She was so wonderful, I gotta make a special about her soon. I admit as a youngster I digged that cover I as gawked at it many times over there As young as I was I knew who I was and liked females unlike the stuff today that people don't know who they are and all of the bum-steer, I'm quite proud who I am and I'm using that word proud of its true meaning, not this abusive stuff in this androgynous day and age. However, this was actually kinda of a form of click bait before there was such a thing because that scene IS NOT IN THE MOVIE... The cover with the blonde babe pulling off her bikini top distracting the wrestler IS NOT IN THE MOVIE...it was exclusive...YES CLICK BAIT before it was a thing You spoke of Running Man, I'll do that one too and yes Deepfakewas in it before it was a thing too!

So there's that and I looked at a lot wrestling tapes she had and rented them a lot. One particularly was this one, it was just so fun

I loved just loved look at Verna's Mr T's selection especially her wrestling videos. Hulkamania 3 & Royal Rumble 89 was always My faves to check out even though I had rented them many times before hand




She really liked Me and paid attention to what I was interested in. She knew I loved a lot of stuff especially wrestling. She actually did Me some great wonders. Here is an example of her kindness. She told Me PERSONALLY when Me & My Grandma MiMi walked into her great fun place that she got in the WWF 1990 Royal Rumble and I was quite excited about that



It was about Wrestlemania 6 time in 1990 and WWF was advertising a new special Coliseum Video so I asked her if she was going to get the new WWF Supertape Vol.1 in and she said she probably will and she'll let Me know if she does. Well, sometime after that there's a knock on the door of Our old house and it's VERNA and she says Brandon, I got you your WWF Supertape Vol.1 in stock (writing this nice day is bringing tears to My eyes in joy as I speak) and here it is She said keep it for free and as long as you like, just have your Grandma MiMi bring it back when you are done with it. I was so happy. I wanted to see the main event so bad which was "The Immortal Hulk Hogan" & Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake vs. "The Macho" King" Randy Savage & "The Human Wrecking Machine" Zeus with "Sensational Queen" Sherri in a Steel Cage I have never forgotten this grand moment of Mine. I mean she completely had her on & in her mind, went out of her way and drove down from her location to Our's to do this I mean this was so special and who else does that, I mean really who does that...you will not find anybody in this pathetic day & age that will This was sure during the days when people was nice that you could actually have a long face-to-face conversation with instead of this hurry up get on with the point so I can write one sentence & tweet two words on social media about stupid bum-steer Gosh I miss those times and see if there is anyone around anywhere that would do something like Verna, I don't think they make'em anymore like her and what a darn shame cause the world could really use people like her Here is a DVD cover reminiscent of the the VHS cover of WWF Supertape Vol.1, if you never seen it then darn it's a classic as it spawned a few sequels too

Mr T's - Supertape Vol. 1 1990



She made all of Our days good. She made My Grandpa PoPo's day by getting WWF Wrestlemania 6 in...



and she also made MiMi's day when she got in Cornell Wilde's 1965 classic Naked Prey. I remember she said how hard it was for Her to get it in-stock to rent but she really liked My Grandma so she did it for Her



So here is some awesome stuff I got from Mr.T's that MiMi got Me via some "deals with Verna

Batman 89: Yep, the original VHS. Notice the Topps Trading Card Sticker on the front & back I got at Our old 7-11 which I will talk about in a while. Notice the hand writing, it's My Grandma's...I wanted here to write the "You Made Me" quote on there...look at that...that's MiMi's handwriting over 30 years ago



There's Verna's Mr. T's Logo Sticker, it is so crucial that these VHS tapes have their sticker otherwise you may not know where you got them originally and it all falls to oblivion...I was so thankful that Rainbow Video had her's on there with My Bruce Lee film. Verna was like a boss however, if you didn't do what her tapes said then there would be hell to pay but that's a good thing, she was so nice yet meant such business, again something that is so missing in today's generation and society



Ghostbusters II: Ah man, I remember Verna had this in her glass case. I looked at for I don't know how long, weeks possibly. I asked MiMi if she could get it for Me and with strings being pulled she was able to work it out with her. As you saw in My Vintage Action Figure Topic she got Me the first Ghostbusters from BMG cause I had her rent it for Me countless times at Rainbow Video. Well now look, she got Me GB: 2 at Mr. T's, gosh I find it so amazing when I look back and see how all of this history of Mine came together



Mac and Me & Tremors: Oh I just loved Mac and Me. I thought was as fun as E.T. I have very fond moments of it. Ah, Tremors, I wanted this movie so much. Like Mac and Me I have seen it countless times, an absolute classic and I became a big Tremors fan as well.



Here they are again with her Logo



For Christmas in 1990, My Grandma made a very special deal with Verna. She got Me the NWA Great American Bash 88: The Price for Freedom. She paid top dollar for this and it has always been a major memory of Mine.



Look at that Mr. T's Label



My Mr. T's Collection: Look at the wonderful display of fine VHS Glory



The Big 3: Now as you saw above I got GB:II from Mr. T's. I couldn't get No Hold's Barred or The Return of Swamp Thing from Her but I was able to get NHB from Our usual Schnucks years later and I was able to get TROST via someplace on the web but I am showing this together because this is where We originally rented all three and in fact this how I found out about TROST. I loved the first one but this one I found better and he was like a wrestler to My youngster-self...this is a quite a crucial lineup here



Mr T's - Hulk Hogan Picture: Long story short, back in 1989, Verna went to Las Vegas, Nevada to an event and she met Hulk Hogan. She was a bit of a wrestling fan but she wasn't all that thrilled about him, I think she was disappointed...I don't recall the whole story sadly but what I do recall is she said hey Brandon, you want this picture and I was like oh heck yeah so it was Mine and it's still hanging on My wall and when I look at it I always think of Verna



My WWF Coliseum Video Poster: I have showed this before, it's one of My most prized items of all. Verna came to Our newer house and gave Me this really nice WWF Coliseum Video Poster. I remember how euphoric I was about it. It's on My door right next to My Hogan picture She gave Me. I look at everyday and reminisce the great time it was of Verna & Mr. T's

NOTE: The WWF Stamps & Bret Hart Bookmark surrounding the Poster is from Star Video in 1993, keep on going and see some more great entries of history but wait till you get to Star Video





BONUS Mr T's Collection Pic: Oh yes, that is great. I may have some others that I am not recalling at the moment even if this is all of'em, I am so grateful that I have all of this great stuff from Verna of Mr. T's



Mr T's 1st & 2nd Locations + Comic Shop: Oh here we go. As I mentioned before. She had two locations which both were on Morgan Ford Road. Now follow Me here. See in the first pic on the left where the fence is, her first building was there. It was square & red. After she left it, it was unoccupied for years, possibly close to 2 decades or so with nobody taken it over or taking care of it, why and how I have no clue. It was a total waste and nothing replaced it since they/whomever took it down in the 2000s. Now look on the right, her second building was the one with the OPEN sign but more on that in sec. As I said she was shared with a Comic Shop. See were the St. Louis Arch & air conditioner is That was the Comic Shop, I don't recall it's name but I do remember that guy that owned it, he looked like Jim Henson. It was really cool going there I mean coming from school across the street & going to the Comic Shop & Mr. T's I mean you can't get much better than that let Me tell'ya MiMi got Me a few memorable things there too including a special Three Stooges Calendar & Life of Curly Book but she also got Me a special Dick Tracy 1990 Movie Topps Trading Card Set there as well, I plan to showcase all of this and much more later on down the line as it's all quite special to Me. I didn't want his little shop to be forgotten either, I have no idea what's there now So now going back to Mr. T's, again she's the second building with the OPEN sign. Just imagine opening the door and seeing new released films right there...oh it was so fun and so was she Unfortunately she went out of business for unknown reasons in 1991 and We lost contact with her altogether We were always a faithful customer of her's as you can tell. We gave her good business for years. Such a shame We lost contact with her After she left foreigners started taking over the whole region of Bevo Mill and they renamed the place Al-Hudah. I'm like was it really necessary for this...did We need this Its been like that for decades now but Al-Hudah went out of business sometime ago, I'm not sure when probably about 2010, possibly a bit before. So for a long time I have been reminiscing about her and having been wondering about how she is I mean she's really been strong in My mind for a long while now. She must be My Grandma MiMi's age like in her late 70s or early 80s that's if she's still around which I hope she is I look at My WWF Coliseum Video Poster that I just showed above, all of My VHS Tapes and especially think of her special trip to Our old house bringing Me WWF Supertape 90 as a special gift of sorts..I mean you get stuff like this and you had somebody do something special like this in your life how can you not...I mean really if you don't then something's very wrong there but I hope she's still around, possibly thinks of Us now and then cause I miss her and all those times at Verna's Mr. T's Video Rental and there was only one and and I'm probably the only one that ever thinks about Her, remembers Her or even knows about Verna's Mr. T's and while that is as pathetic as you can get, I am quite grateful to have known Her and never ever letting her fall into this oblivious state of nature that is this current androgynous pathetic era



SPECIAL UPDATE 10/16/23: Recent'y I've doing a special spooky Halloween Video game Showcase and one of the entries is My Ghostbusters II Video Game that I got from Verna. Here you can see her great Label



Here it is with My GBII VHS Tape that i got from her seen above



Now recently I had found My Honey, I Shrunk the Kids VHS Tape in collection and I saw the Movie T's Video Rental on there and I was like holy crap, I did I have another VHS from Verna and here it is




Now if I come across any more from here I will update this section as soon as I can so keep this in mind

[BrandonDaCollector]

So here is a very special entry. This brief is a one however. I don't know about other areas around the late 80s if their local 7-11 convenience stores had VHS Tapes to rent but the one just a block away down the street from out Our old house did. I recall they had a small shelf there. Around the time when I was playing their arcade of Konami's Crime Fighters and playing a vending claw machine that MiMi got Me out a small Pink Flamingo out of, We noticed they had movies to rent. We were kind of surprised about this as We had Rainbow Video & Mr. T's down on Morgan Ford Road now 7-11 is in on this business gig. One day My Grandma MiMi noticed 2 movies. She thought I'd like them since I loved spooky horror films. This was about 1986 possibly thru early 1988. This is how I know about House 1 & House 2: The Second Story (1986 & 1987) which both became two of My most favorite horror films of ever of all-time!




She rented Me the House movies many times, I had so much fun with them. So I did get one film over there however. Their selling off their movies as I guess they weren't a success for whatever reason. I wanted this Star Trek VHS because I was also a big Star Trek fan as well. My favorite at the time was 1986's Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. The box is of the movie but the actual VHS included was 1979's Star Trek: The Motion Picture. I was bummed about it but it was still good. Here be Star Trek as My Grandpa PoPo would say:)



So here is the 7-11 on Juniata & Morgan Ford Road, Juniata is the street of Our old house that I dearly miss cause it seemed like after We moved so many things changed, I have had mixed emotions and questions about this for decades . I have many good memories from this particular 7-11 and believe it or not it's still there and looks pretty much the same the last time I went there which that long ago Just not the great ones I have mentioned above but others. My first ever WWF Magazine came from there, I got another WWF Magazine which was the August 1990 edition hyping up SummerSlam 90. I remember going down the street to My Grandpa's bike shop and showing it to him and telling him about Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake's horrendous accident and him being replaced by "The Texas Tornado" Kerry Von Erich. While PoPo was sad about Beefcake, he was glad about Kerry cause he loved him. It was all such a convenient area with such great times, he would just walk there from the house & back. I remember countless times I'd look down the street for him by the house waiting for him to come home, I miss him so much One other moment and as bittersweet as it was, it was one of My most fondest memories. On Our last DAY EVER at the Old House, Me & MiMi went to Our nice 7-11, got their great Nachos, Chili & Cheese. There in Our now empty House it was just the two of Us sitting on the hard wooden floor of the living room/kitchen talking and saying goodbye to Our beloved House on Juniata. That was in 1990, 32 years this year in late August. So here is that very special 7-11



Now here is a very, I mean very special prologue to another great movie rental store that I loved and that I have talked about previously in other topics.

I had commented on the Wuzzles on your toon topic before. This is really cool, I only had the figures from that ad and still haven't located them yet I'll tell ya again, My Grandma took Me to her great friend's shop, her name was Annie Burke (she was a wonderful person) and she had the Wuzzles figures and I was interested in them and My Grandma got Me all she had (big stores like Venture, K-Mart & Target didn't have them) and they were fading out elsewhere like TRU. This brought back them memories

So as you saw My quote above, I have spoken about Annie Burke's Store before. I only saw her a handful of times. She was older than MiMI I believe. We still have her old grocery kart down the basement. She passed on in the 90s I have never forgotten her but unfortunately I think most has and I have no clue about her family. Here is a current picture of what was once her nice store on the left, I am trying hard to not let her memory fall into oblivion



I have spoken about her daughter before, I don't recall her name, she was very nice looking and bumped into many times over at Tru-Buy. She owned a video movie outlet called Movie Mogul which I have mentioned many times here. This was a terrific movie rental place as I had tons of great memories there that I will get too soon. Many times Me & My Grandpa would just walk there as they were on Juniata, again everything was so close to Our old house. We'd rent movies & wrestling tapes and NES games but there was one time that was so outstanding for Me. I wanted to rent this Pink Panther cartoon tape. My Grandpa liked just about everything I did, he watched this with Me and he just cracked up so much as he thought it was hilarious. We liked this so much We walked to Movie Mogul and rented this Pink Panther tape again. I would buy it many, many years later on the web



So like usual, MiMi cut deals with her friends cause she knew everybody just about everywhere, you wouldn't believe how she was, she was so good. It was unbelievable the deals she did for Me over at Movie Mogul For My Birthday in 1988 which I was about se7en, she got Me 1982's Swamp Thing on VHS I was astounded about it. She was telling Me how hard it was to get at the time and its one of the rarest tapes to obtain. Of course its different now but back then, We didn't have the web and things like this was quite difficult to come by as stores like Venture, Target & K-Mart just didn't carry every film you'd want to buy. This is one of My most prized VHS tapes in My entire collection



For the same Birthday from Movie Mogul. She got Me Legend I have explained about this extraordinary film in My Go-Bots showcase. If you want to see & read My extremely emotional post there then go to My Vintage Action figure topic on page 27. It will shock you. So I loved Ridley Scott's Legend so much and she knew this and pulled the string and made them pull the VHS off the shelf and she bought it for Me, it was like brand new





Legend & Swamp Thing together!!



So here is what was once Movie Mogul. I have no idea what it is now. As you see it was a very homely building. We rented so many great movies over there. This is where I first saw Spaceballs, you can see My VHS in My Star Wars topic. My Grandma noticed Howard the Duck, Harry and the Hendersons, Uncle Buck & The Burbs thinking I'd like'em and I did, all so great. Movie Mogul had wrestling tapes too. Many WWF plus some classic ones and rare independent ones as well. They had a great selection of cartoons for kids but I always loved going down the hall in the darker area of the store where they kept the horror films, and it was darker room, so fitting for a feeling of terror as they had such a huge selection of spooky movies that would make you scream in joy However, they had a tremendous selection of NES games too. I was so game crazy then I got about $65 to spend I spent nearly all of it on these games and My Grandpa is like are you sure you want to spend this all on games and I'm like yep. I look back on that and I think it was a foolish thing to do but hey, when your a kid and you love what you love then it's all good cause I had fun doing it Even though We had Mr. T's (I believe Rainbow Video was on her way out unfortunately) We were faithful to both because one had that the other didn't. After We moved in 1990, Movie Mogul went out of business, We lost contact with Annie Burke, her Daughter & company. It was all sad and again, I'm probably one of the very, very few plebeians around that remembers these people and Movie Mogul or even knew about this at all. Its so pathetic about this whole situation but again I am not letting this slide...not on My watch as I feel so fortunate to know this fantastic history:!:



Special Update 10/16/23: First off back in August I posted a very special showcase of Annie Burke as it deals much more with her location and a Grocery Cart We got from her




You can see the whole great showcase on Page 10 ---> http://www.dctoyrevolution.org/general-toy-discussions/my-odds-ends-insane-keychain-t1176-90.html

So I had mentioned it before and I really wanted to briefly present it. During some late evening I mean it was late at night in 1988, 35 years ago this year, My Grandma made the deal of Us going to Annie Burke's Daughter's home. She had video games to sell but since she owned a Video Store this was a no-no It was so darn cool during these times. Like I said before, My Grandma knew a lot of people and did a lot of things which was some stuff others wouldn't do but she did it for Me So I got a lot of games like this but My most memorable one is My NES Ice Hockey. I briefly showed this in My Video Game Collection Topic but now I'm showing this exclusively here in My all crucial Odds & Ends

[BrandonDaCollector]

However, during the last days of when We lived on Juniata, We had discovered a newer movie rental joint, one I just spoke about in My great Go-Bots & Rock Lords showcase in My Vintage Action Figure Topic, that's a "slightly" newer one and that was Movie King I have spoke about them many times prior as well. One day out Me & My Grandparents were going somewhere, probably to Target cause We were near Hampton Village. If you have been faithfully following My topic one by one in current time, by now you should be well aware of the area as much as I have showed it in My recent showcases. Remember when I showed My Go-Bots & Rock Lords the former Walgreens and I said across the street was a really cool Hollywood Video but down the road there that you could see was Movie King We'll we're going there now So I really don't know how We found out about'em, it could have been a serendipitous moment or We found them in the Yellow Pages or something like that I mean it was about 1989/early 1990 when We discovered them. So they had 2 locations but only 1 at first. The first one was pretty cool. I distinctively remember two great NES games they rented for Me and that was Rampage & Monster Party As I have mentioned before in other posts is that these guys were different, so unique in fact instead of your usual day or two day rental, their offer was you could rent your movies & video games for a week...FOR 1 WEEK...7 DAYS I was quite excited about this, it was really helpful if you loved a game and needed more time to beat it or of you just wanted to play it as much as possible because you loved it that much. Oh I recall at their second location which was when they moved down the street, literally yards way from the first one is I rented the Back to the Future Trilogy a lot, I couldn't stop watching cause I was so hooked on it. Having seven days is a lot for your wants for this sort of thing and especially back then cause days seemed much longer than they do today, we're still in a 24 hour period but ever notice over the past decade especially over the last couple of years each day seems way, way shorter now They say this happens when you get older but I so beg the differ and I assure you this isn't the case So when I was a youngster around this time about 11 or so it was so fun. They moved on from NES to SNES, We rented many games from there including Super Mario Kart. Playing that for the first times was great! They had a big selection of horror films, many that I never saw nor heard of previously, in fact their selection was arguably even more impressive than Movie Mogul cause they had a lot. This is where I first saw 1972's Boggy Creak film as well as 1989's Clown House Movie King also had a lot of wrestling tapes as well. Many I had never seen before either as they had lots of classic NWA & Indi tapes. This is where I discovered a really cool 1988 kids film like in 1989 or 1990 called Andy Colby's Incredible Adventure aka Andy and the Airwave Rangers. It was quite a fun little film. We rented a lot over there and since Mr. T's & Movie Mogul were sadly out of the picture We needed somebody else. It was run by only two people which was a married couple. They were kinda older. She was tall and had short brown hair and he was too but have salt and pepper hair. They were nice but they were serious and meant business as they were very peculiar over their stock like taking care of it and returning it on time. They were not like Verna or the others, there was really was no soft side to them because they were all rigorous. As different as they were however I did enjoy many, many times over there. Unfortunately they went out of business in the early 90s like 93 or 94. I mean places like Blockbuster had you return your rentals the next day while Movie King had 7 day rentals for around the same price...how can you beat that I never knew why they were unsuccessful, We gave them a lot of business but I don't recall them ever being busy. I don't know if it was how they ran the place or if it was the area or not I mean it was a big neighborhood and there was other types of businesses around there so I can't be too sure as to why they went under Everything seemed fine to Me otherwise. I did get one movie from them and that was The Burbs I loved this movie so much, it's truly one of the best comedies ever



Notice the Dave's Movies & More & C-D Service Labels. I never really never knew their origins but I believe the male co-owner was named Dave and these were alternate titles for Movie King, if they had other locations elsewhere I never knew about them.



So here is Movie King's first location that I just mentioned above where I rented NES Games Rampage & Monster Party. I loved this time I have no clue what is there, really haven't for ages.



Here is Movie King's second location. Now this was just down the street from the old one possibly less then a thousand yards. It was bigger and stuff and I do have more moments there as they were getting ready to move when We originally found them. Like I said above, they went out of business and I have no idea what happen after that. I hope they were both fine afterward and even possibly still around somewhere in My area. Like the others, I'm quite positive that they have been forgotten about and maybe even last generation didn't even know about them because today's plebeians wouldn't have the slightest, many don't even know what a "true" video rental is and if that isn't pathetic I don't know what is Movie King was the most unusual yet they were some of the best, I miss them a lot



Special Update 10/16/23: I wanted to show the NES Monster Party Video Game that I rented from Movie King all those great times. Still I'm not sure why I didn't own it whether We couldn't find it or if I got burnt out on it since I played it so much but whatever the case was, it's currently Halloween spooky time and this has strongly been on My mind recently

[BrandonDaCollector]

SPECIAL NOTE: So as you know, I have been off and on trying to bring back old stores of My time in My local areas of what once was anyway I can within My topics. For a long time I have been thinking of Televideo so please allow Me to reminisce of this great video store from a cool time. So I believed they opened in 1990, cannot be for sure. They were in our great and convenient K-Mart plaza that I have talked a lot about in My topics because I had so many good times there and got so many important items from there. Televideo was a huge place for a video outlet, I mean it was nearly the half the size of K-Mart! It was owned by an Asian fella, he was nice but seemed like he was grumpy on busy days. He had a lot of stuff and exclusives that many of our other great video rental stores didn't have such as Mr T's, Movie King & Star Video (I also must mention Movie Mogul & Rainbow Video here because they were special too). I have briefly mentioned some of these in the past and plan to more in great detail in the future. I mean he had tons of movies, his store was in the similar CALIBER of the likes of Blockbuster & Hollywood Video that would soon reign, it was fun times. I remember back in 92, wow 30 years ago this year when We searched all over town to rent the WWF Survivor Series 92 and nobody had it...oh but Televideo did! I was so thrilled about that day, it was incredible! Also, in My great Beetlejuice showcase I posted for Halloween last year in My Vintage Acton Figure topic, the VHS of that also came from Televideo. So what happen was things were changing and getting really bad in the neighborhood not to long after this. The plaza was dying and sadly he went out of business as did Radio Shack among other stores there. K-Mart lasted until about 2000 and that once awesome & fun plaza was gone forever. It was completely changed in the early to mid 2000s and today it is completely unrecognizable only to be forgotten by so many and anybody that's young in that area knows nothing of it's history. I am very thankful I once knew and experienced it

So you just read a quote from Me that was from My Star Wars topic. As you just read I was quite euphoric over Televideo. So really there isn't much else to say about them other than My quote. So here is My E.T. & Beetlejuice VHS tapes that My Grandma MiMi got from there for Christmas in 1990, oh I loved this



Yes, I got the GREEN E.T. edition! Here is Televideo's label. It says their in K-Mart Plaza This is all that exist of them Sometimes I think that people just don't think that is a big deal but IMO those that think that does't care about history nor their own. This is very crucial to Me and will always be



Here is a better look at Televideo's label that says K-Mart Plaza and two blocks west of Morgan Ford Road, this huge street housed so much including the aforementioned Rainbow Video & Mr. T's Again, I find this extremely imperative to still have these labels cause without these Televideo's former existence would be lost to oblivion and in no way shape or form am I letting that happen



Here is where Televideo once was. After the unfortunate tearing down Kroger in the early days that My Grandma found My Vintage Kenner Star Wars Stormtrooper at that I just showcased in My Vintage Topic, they expanded the plaza with K-Mart thus allowing great places like Radio Shack and of course Televideo to move in. Like I said before in My quote above, when they all went under and tore the place down the whole region became unrecognizable in the mid 2000s. It was fun there with a Gamestop & Shop ’n Save but thanks to the P!eDemic both went out of business making the plaza even more of a thing of incognito. By the way, Shop ’n Save was St. Louis's own huge grocery store. Me & Mimi had tons of moments there and like National they too do not exist anymore as their parent company SuperValu failed so they sold them to Schnucks of all stores which I have talked about many times especially in My National showcase in My Vintage so I may one day showcase a special about Shop ’n Save. Look for a special, even further location entry in My Star Wars vintage showcase soon. So again, this was the area that Televideo was in. I'm sure there is very few people that knows about how this wonderful video store was and it's area in general but I am quite proud to know that it was there, that such a place existed and to have all of My experiences there as well as the plaza itself in the 80s - 2000



Special Update 10/16/23: I wanted to show two of the WWF Coliseum Videos that only Televideo had in My location and that was WWF U.S. Rampage 92 & WWF Survivor Series 92. I was so thrilled when I knew they had them to rent I mean this was such a great time in wrestling and I wanted to see these so bad especially Survivor Series 92 because of many reasons including Yokozuna, Nailz & Doink the Clown




Now there was a couple other video rental stores that was quite good during the age of Rainbow Video & Mr. T's which one was called Archco Video. It was clever as it was named after Our Arch in Down Town St. Louis. They were also on Morgan Ford Road but closer to Chippewa. I only remember a moment being there, It was a little store and apparently We weren't pleased with them or something, I believe this was in the mid 80s they may even predate Rainbow Video & Mr. T's, I'm actually leaning toward that notion but really I don't know. Like I had said, Our area was so convenient during these times in the 80s, every place We wanted to go to was only in a several mile region. I believe they went out of business but possibly made a comeback so here is their first location.



It was funny, after We moved in a different neighborhood Archco Video's location #2 was down the street just a number of blocks away right across the street from the Walgreens that was Our usual for a while. I believe it was run by the same woman (notice how all of these movie stores are owned & ran by women!) about the same age as My Grandma at the time like going on 60's door. I don't know how long she was at this location if it was for years or what. I was like 10 or 11 or so during this time. Me & MiMi went there on a few occasions. The owner that I don't recall her name was quite serious and kinda rude too. She was nothing like Verna, so far from her. She had such a little movie selection and a tiny selection of NES games. She had this little miniature slot machine there which I think it was a contest thing to win a free rental or something like that. I don't know but it was really never exciting there and I really don't remember renting much if anything at all from Archo Video but I'm sure We rented a little bit over there, just nothing superbly memorable. No wonder why We weren't fans of her back in the 80s and even here in the early 90s. She went out of business or her comeback was short lived. It's unfortunate but it wasn't really a surprise that it happen the way she was, what she had in stock and ran the store. It was a nice looking place however but I'm sure there is very few people that recollect her and even though she wasn't the best I don't want her to be forgotten either cause she was history to My area as well and here is her second location, she was where the Boost Mobile is now

[BrandonDaCollector]

So here a special combination. This is the area I talked a lot about before. Back in the day of the 90s MiMi & I were always in this area of Holly Hills. So in this very good area We had three stores or more . We had Video Rental Store that I don't recall the name of. In the same building it was shared by Zito's Pizza that We only ordered from once in awhile, I always complained about them cause they put these seeds that I didn't like on their pizzas. Across the way is Our usual Walgreensand across the street was Our Blockbuster Video I just talked about in My very recent Peaches/Sound Warehouse that years later became a Marco's Pizza & Family Video and as a little yet big bonus you can see the small Dollar Store that I got My Hans-Cuffs Go-Bot from as I had greatly showcased that in My Go-Bots & Rock Lords showcase in My Vintage.



So here's the The Untitled Video Rental Store & Zito's Pizza. There's a closer look at the Walgreens. Notice the Red Box they have there. This is the stuff that I had explained In My Peaches/Sound Warehouse that made them go out of business thanks to the plebeians going to a little darn kiosk outside rather to a big fun store inside



So the focus here is The Untitled Video Rental Store. Again, this joint too was owned and singly ran by a woman. Shame I don't recall her name but I really loved her shop. She was a blonde and in her 30s or so. She was quite nice. As a 12 year old it was rather strange I actually had a thing for her, I always liked older women but I still remember there was something I really liked about her but she never knew it that I know of. She had a ton of videos including a huge cartoon selection and even a very large Wrestling selection as well. She had some wrestling tapes that nobody else had. She had the WWF Royal Rumble 93 right when it became available. I watched it many times as I loved it



Again, I couldn't help but think about her. There was very, I mean I have been around a ton of women in My life and even when I was a kid I liked a lot of girls in school but during that time when I was a youngster there very few women I felt some sort of connection with/to. I have never forgotten this feeling and once in a while I ask Myself what was the deal with that cause I didn't know love, $3X and all that then so I have no clue. Sadly soon afterward she went out of business due to Blockbuster across the street and I'm sure Star Video a few blocks away didn't help either but she is one that I never, ever want to fall to oblivion. After she & Zito's Pizza fell, the building would be unoccupied for years until the mid 2000s when Talayna's World Class Pizza moved in the foundation. I really liked them, they had a huge 21" pizza Many times when I'd come home exhausted & hungry from the Batting Cages @ Tower Tee, I always wanted them as they were cheap & filling. Thanks to Mr. Talayna's gambling probs among other things in Down Town's casinos, he went bankrupt and he went out and boy was I pi$$ed However he does have one other location that he probably is quite ungrateful for way out in Chesterfield. Oh I hate that too



Update 12-6-23: I thought this was very apropos to present here from My Vintage Wrestling Collection Topic

Here is My first actual installments because these were My FIRST official Wrestling tapes in the sleeve (My Grandma used the 2 VCR Gold head trick and got Me tons of'em that way for a long while before). She got these for Me not too long after We moved in Our new house in 1990 at the Schnucks on Iron & Grand. That was a great store, We'd take turns of that one & National. I distinctly remember how cool this was. They had a great Video Club there and We joined it. There was 1990's Total Recall, Darkman, Dick Tracy, Arachnophobia & Gremlins 2 all together to buy and she got Me them as well. Around the corner of the movies for sale there was a large wrestling display with 3 wrestling tapes there, it was like it as just for Me. I was just in awe about it, I said to her I need these and she got'em for Me. I was the most happiest 9 year old youngster in the building I'm sure. The three tapes was in a set of 6 (they never had the Macho Man, Andre the Giant & Rock 'n' Roll Rumble with TMD & JYD nor have I ever seen them in person, only online) in a line called The World's Greatest Wrestling Series. It had nothing to do with the WWF nor the AWA, NWA/WCW, it was all basically in the days when independent contracts was still a thing during the early 80s. These were some of My first looks in live action of "The King" Jerry Lawler & The Rock 'n' Roll Express and even features Randy Savage & Lanny Poffo as a tag team and Hulk Hogan's debut match as Terry "The Hulk" Boulder which was so cool cause I really never seen "The Hulkser" young like that besides Rocky III and his Japan tenure via wrestling magazines. It's presented by Terry Clanton. I had always seen'em in the books but not on TV. These tapes were wondrous for them youngsters & elders alike that wanted to see outside of WWF & WCW. Look at these boxes that has such great art on them, to this day they are still one of the best I have ever seen



Look at the matches that these have, they were unbelievable back then cause many people didn't know that they happen, click the pic in a new tab, like most of My pics its huge and you can read it very close



Here is the VHS example, look at the Copyright of 1989



So I have talked about Schnucks on Iron & Grand for a long time, well I have decided to finally present where it used to be. Here is the street sign and the entry/drive way



Here is a closer look at it in recent times. After this Schnucks moved on Loughborough & after Schnucks took-over National that became Our main grocery store but on occasions We'd go to the ones on Hampton, South Grand & Arsenal (the latter was/is My fave) and would remain until the destruction of the location (see My recent B-day Recent Acquirements for more on that) which the others would be Ours then plus We'd go to Save A Lot as much as well as Shop 'N Save (they went under and taken-over by Schnucks thanks to the P!amDemi!) across the street from where National was on Kingshighway & Chippewa. So back to Iron Street, after Schnucks moved on, a new store moved in called Holly Hills Market Place (possibly look for a special on that in My Odds & Ends) but as good & fancy as they were they went out of business sometime later (I don't know when cause We didn't shop there often if much at all) then years later architects split the building up and a Family Dollar & Planet Fitness was placed in (I got a bit at that FD). Like the Family Dollar next to Big Lots! & Burlington Coat Factory (where Venture once was in the 80s & 90s), it was replaced by a Dollar General (like Walmart they were only in the counties now their coming in and taking over stuff in the city) and thanks to the PlamDemic! Planet Fitness is no longer there (I went there a lot). It's so amazing how stuff like this changes So back to how it used to be back in the better times of the early 90s. As you read above I'd get a lot of movies over there include Suburban Commando later in early 92 but this place also just didn't have movies oh no, they had video games over there too to rent as well like Our other places like Movie King & Star Video (see My great Glory Days of Video Rentals in My Odds & Ends for all that great history & more) and this location was where My Grandma rented Me the SNES for Easter in 1992 which is the very first time I ever played it and they had some great games to chose from such as Konami's Contra III & Super Castlevania IV and others such as Capcom's Street fighter II (I just played the arcade mere months prior at Crestwood Bowl with My Mom & her Boyfriend Kevin!) and this all was such great times This location had a great newsstand as well which I got a lot of WWF, Batman, Mad & Cracked Magazines and oh gosh I loved those Banquet Western TV Dinners with those BBQ Beans and them delicious TMNT 2: TSOTO Fruit Pies One day I didn't go with My Grandma in the Fall or Winter of 91 or 92, while she was there checking out, a very large & mature Buck Deer with Antlers came busting through the glass of the front windows and ran all over the store and he finally went out the way he came. It was all over the news channels like Fox 2, KMOV 4, KSDK 5, KPLR 11 & ABC 12. It was really incredible seeing that on film, I really regretted not going with her that day cause that was AWESOME



So now in the great year of 1995 My Grandma won Me 2 great WWF Wrestling Tapes from the Missouri Lottery Scratch-offs over at Schnucks on Loughborough over a decade before the destruction She was really lucky back then with Scratchers. These 2 great tapes are WWF Wrestling Superheroes & WWF Greatest Hits. Here is the cool VHS Boxes



Here is the Back of the Boxes with the matches and more, look how classic that is



Here is a look at the VHS Tapes themselves plus the 1990 & 1991 Copyrights, I love it



Now in the early to early mid 2000s I got WWF SummerSlam 92 & Survivor Series 93 in their newer relocated video department in the last days of not only the department but also the store itself. I saw'em and I'm like gosh, I gotta buy'em and so I did. The Boxes weren't in great shape but they were ok for Me especially for the prices I got them for, I'm not that picky when it comes to things that were used and being acceptable. I have always loved these covers and how they felt. The big box look was gone by 92 but these still looked good especially the Coliseum Video Logo Tear that was a trend for them for a while. If you have really followed Me on the board then you know that SummerSlam 92 is My favorite one. WWF Survivor Series 93 is also one of the best ones also, like the year, it's extremely underrated & unappreciated but thank goodness I have come to realize that



Here is the Back of the Boxes and notice the $2.49 prices, can't beat that



Here is the VHS Tapes and the Copyrights of Evart Enterprises 1992 & 1993, amazing this WWF SummerSlam 92 was over 30 years last year and this WWF Survivor Series 93 was 30 years ago this year Notice the Schnucks Video Club Stickers there. Now there is one astonishing thing there and in My view it's so imperative & crucial to My mission. The one Sticker there says National Video Library. What this means is that this VHS Tape was actually part of National, THE SAME NATIONAL that I have been talking about off & on for quite some time and showcased as best as I could in My Vintage Action Figure Topic They used to have a cool video library way back when and We rented many movies there and I especially recall this special & superb Three Stooges documentary that was hosted by the late great Steve Allen that My Grandma rented Me back in 89/90. Now how is this possible you may ask I have explained it all before, it's possible because Schnucks bought them, took over their stores. Like Vinnie Mac did to WCW, they wiped out there competition and either moved in their buildings or let some other lesser company move in...it was really fruit because they just let them fall to oblivion In My Vintage I explained how much I loved National and it was My favorite grocery store to go to. It's always been a big part of My life



Around that time period, possibly even the same day I also got this really cool b]WWF Ultimate Warrior VHS[/b] as well. There's no way in friggin' heck I'd pass that up Look at the Front & Back Covers, so awesome



Here is the VHS & Copyright of 1992 when The Ultimate Warrior returned



Here is the Schnucks Video Club Label

Now this is My favorite of wrestling themed films and arguably the biggest & most important part of this huge entire 5-Parter showcase that I have presented thus far Here is My No Holds Barred & Suburban Commando VHS Tapes I have greatly spotlighted them in PB's Movie Trailer Topic a long while back and I have expressed My love for them both deeply. No Holds Barred was such a huge event for Me, 1989 was so great and there will never ever be another massive event like this again mark My words I will never forget when I opened Verna's Mr.T's door and saw the new releases and No Holds Barred was right there looking at Me on her shelf and immediately I picked it up so nobody would before Me cause wrestling was My life then like it is now, I'm sure I was the biggest fan then of it at least in My area. It seemed like there was always problem with people with so much I like and really the same goes for this moment as well that I'm such an outlier Everybody I knew, kids at school especially I tried get them into it (see in Part 1 when I talked about Jacob, that was so uncalled for and so darn pathetic!) one year I believe in was 91 I got some really nice WWF Valentine Cards and handed to most of the class but handed the special ones to My Girlfriends. I was really bummed either they didn't know about them nor cared to or just didn't like it. I always try to get people into exciting things nobody ever listens to Me and hey, it's tuff-$h!t when this hive-minded & hominginized society finds out how great something is when I already told them so Anyway I talked about Verna in Part 1 and featured her greatly in My Glory Days of Movie Rentals, she knew I was a huge wrestling fan and understood it thus is the reason why she was so nice to Me, why I liked her so much and I really miss her I was unable to see No Holds Barred at the show but seeing the film on tape was awesome and I just loved it. Now only a couple short years later in the cool year of 1991 Suburban Commando was coming out and while it wasn't as big nor hyped like No Holds Barred, it still got plenty of publicity on WWF Prime Time Wrestling and all of WWF's Programming during this year. Unlike No Holds Barred, the film was playing at Our Wehrenberg Kenrick Theater that I showcased in My Vintage Kenner Star Wars in My Vintage Action Figure Topic and I boy-o-boy I wanted My Grandparents to take Me there cause they watched wrestling with Me all the time cause they watched it long before Me as I have said before and knew as much current stuff as I did so they were interested in it too, My Grandpa really got a kick out of it. I was quite happy with the film and I recall it like it was yesterday. There really has been few times since I have had much of a cool time especially when wrestling was involved one way or another. Here's the Front Covers I have always loved the posters I love to feel the boxes as well



Here is the Back Covers and again I love how they look and to feel them



Here is the VHS Tapes themselves...



and here is the No Holds Barred 1989 Copyright Label...



as well as the Suburban Commando VHS 1991 & 1992 Copyrights



Here is the Side of the Boxes. Columbia always had two different sides which was a cool feature for a display



Here is the RCA/Columbia 1989 Copyright as well as the 1991 & 1992 Copyright of New Line Cinema and it tells you that the Soundtrack is available on Rhino CDs...more on that near the climax of this showcase later



Here is the Columbia Hologram Logo. I always loved these and in fact Columbia was always one of My faves when it came to movies and how they designed their boxes



Now here is special look at where at got these. I got them both at Schnucks but at two different locations. I actually got Suburban Commando first over at their location on Iron Street in their cool video bin (see Part 1 for that special) in around late 1991/early 1992. You had to wait for them to put newer releases up for sale and I was impatiently waiting for them to believe you Me As one might think I didn't get No Holds Barred from Verna's Mr. T's but the Schnucks on Loughborough which see Part 1 for that too. I got that around 1997...I saw it for sale and I immediately grabbed it, there was no way in Sam "freggin" Hain I was going to let somebody else have it before Me, no way You can clearly see how the Labels differ as they changed their style & emblems over the last several years of time between the two

If your a wrestling fan and love "Hot Rod - Rowdy" Roddy Piper you gotta have at least one film of his in your collection. I have the 1988 They Live VHS and I saw it over at the Schnucks on Loughborough and I had to get it. Now this isn't My favorite John Carpenter movie which that is 1986's Big Trouble in Little China, in fact it;s one of My favorites of all-time. This film is quite a great dark one that everybody must see for a truthful purpose. Piper said it best, it's actually a documentary

Spoiler:

It's unbelievable that he tweeted that 10 years ago THIS YEAR If you don't know what he means then your still under a very soft disclosure. The way TPTB is and the way today's day & age is should really give you the hint. The likes of CNN, History Channel is mostly woke, there's a ton hard disclosure on TY...if you've already been truly awaken then you know what's really going in this world, if you haven't then you still have a choice to keep taking the blue pill, if you have doubts/know about the red pill but don't believe Me & Piper and you find out the truth later don't say We didn't warn you

So here is the Front & Back of the VHS Box. It's hard to believe this year marks They Live's 35th Anniversary



Here's the VHS Tape's 1989 Copyright Label which is when the tape was released. Here's the Schnucks Video Club Sticker as well



Now My final entry in this extravaganza is none other than My 1999 Universal Soldier 2: The Return VHS. I recall it like last week when WCW was hyping up Bill Goldberg being in the sequel to the fantastic actioner 1992's Universal Soldier. It was awesome that he would be the villain along with Jean-Claude Van Damme & Michael Jai White. It was so cool that Megadeth performed their new hit Crush'em and Goldberg going on the stage in a unexpected return an dthat said song would be the theme for the film The film was pretty cool and had some really good moments. It was a must have to buy. Here is the Front & Back Covers as well as the VHS Tape itself



Here is the VHS & Columbia Tri-Star 1999 Copyright Label as well the Schnucks Video Club Sticker .



Now it's possible that I got this at Schnucks on Loughborough (see Part 1 for the location) however I cannot be certain cause there's a part of Me that says I got it from Schnucks in Hampton Village



I have showcased Hampton heavily within My Odds & Ends Topic when I showcased B. Dalton & Johnny Brock's as well as Almost Everything Sports Store & Louie's Pizza Co., Movie King and Peaches Sound Warehouse/Blockbuster Video & Music plus don't forget My classic & current Target too and recently in My Vintage Action Figure & Video Game Topics. It has always been a great area of life for decades. this Schnucks is still there but they too have followed the rest of them as well as so many others of no longer being open 24 hours and accompany the trending curfews since the emergence of the PlamDem!c which is so darn frustrating I had many good times there and really was My fave location for a while but again the one on Arsenal will always be the one. You can see that in My great Marvel & DC ToyBiz Batman Showcase here --->http://www.dctoyrevolution.org/post46299.html?hilit=Arsenal#p46299. So here is a beautiful look at Schnucks on/in Hampton Village, it's truly a great place to be and one of the most historical areas of St. Louis

This is from My grand showcases inMy Video Game Collection Topic

Here's SNES: Super Bases Loaded (Jaleco - 1991) & Ken Griffey Jr. Presents Major League Baseball (Nintendo 1994): Both are great. I first played Griffey at My Mom's Boyfriend Alan's house with his kids around September & October 94. It was a pretty fun time, they had Mortal Kombat 2 as well which I recall this like it was yesterday




SNES: Ken Griffey Jr.'s Winning Run (Nintendo 1996), Roger Clemens' MVP Baseball (LJN -1991) and Frank Thomas Big Hurt Baseball (1995 - Acclaim): All of these games are superb. I would love Thomas when I got to know him when I became a major MLB fan in 1998 and it was awesome seeing him stand next to Mark McGwire. Now My favorite of these is Roger Clemens' MVP Baseball, I have played this tons of times and it has these really cool feelings of the Autumn & Post Season and really it's the only sports game I've played that felt like that



So moving on to Sega Genesis, here's 1992's Sports Talk Baseball that was made by Sega, it's really a good one and was kinda revolutionary at the time Notice on the back of the Case the Price Sticker says it's property of Schnucks in Hampton Village so you can clearly see where i got this one at




Here's the 1995 Sega Genesis version of Acclaims's Frank Thomas Big Hurt Baseball.



Here is Sony's 1993 EPSN Baseball Tonight for Sega Genesis & Sega Genesis CD. My Mom got Me the CD version from Funco for Christmas in 1996 or My Birthday 1997 when they had a ton of clearanced games because of newer systems and changing times. Me & My grandma MiMi played the CD version the most, it was just so much cooler and hearing Chris "Boomer" Burman commentate is quite fun See, Sony was always wanting to be in the Video Game Industry, back in the early 90s look where they were and look where they are now since 95 with Playstation These great games are celebrating their 30th Anniversary right now as I speak from 1993





[/b]Here's My SNES Addams Family that I got used over at Loughborough Schnucks, I loved to play this as it was so fun Notice the stickers on there. I know it't quite unattractive but it it one way of knowing whom you got it from which really that's ok with me and besides, there's enough of the Game's Title to see what it is

Now here is the Schnucks on Loughborough in recent times. I explained the whole thing in My Recent Acquirements for My B-Day, here is an edited quote from Me

Before I began I just want to say Our local BK is in the Loughborough Commons area. I have talked about some of this before. The same place Our cool Schnucks used to be. Well the braniac corporate heads of this whole region decided to tear it down and EVEN PEOPLE HOMES to make a new plaza in 2007, oh it was devastating for the people that lived there, it as all over the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and elsewhere So come 2008 it was all opened with even more on the way. Me & Mom went to that BK a lot for years and some at the Lowes as well which this years marks the 15th anniversary of that era Here is the newer Schnucks, My Grandma really disliked it back when We were doing Our rounds, things just wasn't the same I mean every isle was messed up & uncategorized and they got rid of the all of the vending machines, if your a Capricorn like Us then you know YOU HATE CHANGE




Now Schnucks in Hampton Village is pretty much the same minus their video club of course. All Schnucks discontinued it in at least the mid 2000s because ya know, times were changing during the first stages of Red Box & Netflix basically annihilating the fun times of Video Rentals Now I've showcased this area a lot in My great topics. just recently when I showcased My Accolade Hardball III I showed that good but very brief Video Game Store. I have also showed in My all crucial Odds & Ends Almost Everything Sports Store which was the absolute cheapest place you could go to and it was so nice. Hampton is such a good area but in recently times it is really getting some crime which is a darn shame. Now here's a recent picture of Hampton Village's Schnucks. The little building that is connected to it used to be B.Dalton's. Also look to the far right, there's the newer Target. Now to the left is where JCPenny's was plus where Johnny Brock's Dungeon was next to it. His family has major history with the St. Louis Cardinals. I've showcased all of this in My very imperative Odds & Ends, check them out soon

[BrandonDaCollector]

So next is one I just spoke about and I have talked about on many different occasions and that is none other than Star Video When We moved and the likes of Mr. T's & Movie King was going under We found a new video store and it turned out to be a great one. I have a ton of memories from this place and most are really, really good. Unfortunately they have been out of business for a long time since the late 90s but they actually made a comeback of sorts in Lemay. They are on Face Book but I have no clue how they compare now to when they were in their prime. Here is a quote from good'ol FB:

Brian Gross
Wish there was some pictures of the Loughborough Store. I practically grew up in that one.
15w

Star Video
Brian Gross I'll see if we can dig some up

15w
Brian Gross
Star Video that would be awesome

Now see, that Brian guy says he grew up there, now that is WHAT I LIKE TO SEE & HEAR from people on SM instead of selfies and other bum-steer nonsense. The location he is talking about is THE one on Loughborough that I went to countless times. Unfortunately they never "dug" up some pics which you'd think they might so apparently even by them it has fallen into oblivion I mean is been nearly four months since that very small conversation If they got the pics they must not care about their own past, shows you how "great" future generations can be especially if their no relation at all to the people We once knew However, here an old flyer from their FB page that I captured. Now here is MY OWN STAR VIDEO BAG that I had in My storage..yes I STILL have a bag of Star Video and notice their location is Loughborough



Update 3/6/24: They had many monster & Kaiju videos. Some I never seen or even knew about which back in My day I was always looking for Godzilla, Gamera among other monster films that I never watched or to see different, "uncut" versions of them. My most memorable one that I found over at Star Video was none other than 1966's War of the Gargantuas. I was like oh boy look at this, this looks awesome...I gotta see this one I found this over at Star Video in around late 91 perhaps early/mid 92. The picture in the middle is the one that got My attention as that was the picture on the VHS



Now like the other places MiMi made a ton of deals here as well. We were very loyal customers for years until they closed their doors. I gotten a ton of stuff from them thanks to My Grandma and I think I could tell the current/new generation of Star Video a thing of history or two. Again, this was also runned by a woman, an older blonde with glasses that reminded Me of Ally Walker. MiMi got kinda close to her as a friend. She made deals with her a lot. I got a lot of Video games there that I have showcased in My great Video Game Topic. Many that they didn't want to sell and others that they did to move their inventory up from NES to SNES & Sega Genesis for an example but I have a lot of movies too, I will show some of them here now



Amazing She discovered The Burbs over at Movie Mogul yet She bought it for Me over at Movie King so as said earlier on in My Movie King section I rented the Back to the Future Trilogy a lot over there. Well sometime later My Grandma cut a big deal with the owner of Star Video and she got Me the BTTF Trilogy which is weird like I just said a second ago but it's just like I wanted...I was so thrilled I always loved how Star Video actually used the included VHS box cover and placed it within a hard protective shell. Of course the rental price tags are on there and it was a bit of a nuisance when I was a youngster but now I don't look at it that way as I look at it as HISTORY, PURE HISTORY



Here is the inside of the boxes and you can see the VHS tapes within them



Far out, BTTF 1 actually still had a special little offer flyer in it, LOOK AT THAT



She came through for Me once again with Tiny Toon Adventures: How I Spent My Vacation and even Batman Returns which both were in 1992 which is 30 years ago THIS YEAR I remember I was really a jerk to her about them though for whatever reason. I got in one of My stupid @$$ moods which i believe was over the boxes and I made her feel not good about it and still to this day I feel really bummed about it



I think I made up with her about it a while after that. I loved that Tiny Toons film so, I couldn't stop watching it so she eventually bought it for Me and she loved it too especially Plucky Duck & Uncle Stinky. I have already expressed My loved for it in PB's great cartoon topic. I also expressed My love for Batman Returns in his great Movie Trailers topic as well. 92 was so good and these are two examples as to why that is



BONUS ENTRIES from My Video Game Topic!!!

I have been thinkin' of My vintage video games and while I have a massive collection for many systems, there is really only a handful that is on My mind to talk about and these 2 are Super Godzilla for SNES and Predator 2 for the Sega Genesis I loved both systems back in the day and there will never ever be another time like it when they were in their prime. Today's competition of Playstation & XBOX is good but IMO it doesn't even come close to be near as fun as it was back then! I always had a debacle who was better but really Sega was My fave most of the time

So My Grandma got Me these classic games way back from our favorite local video store called Star Video. She rented so many games for Me from them and We always asked them if they were gonna put them out for sale and sometimes they would just sell them for a price then sometimes We would have to wait. Sadly like so many stores & companies from yesteryears, they went out of business in the late 90s due to the video store competition of Blockbuster & Hollywood Video which the latter took the place literally of Star Video Today's generation basically only knows all of this digital stuff and not how it was back them.

Super Godzilla for SNES: Back in the day, like I had previously said about Godzilla in My great Vintage Action Figure topic, it was hard to obtain Godzilla items because of the importations. Same thing with games but us Americans were lucky at that category in some ways however in the early 90s it was very difficult to keep up with the new Godzilla movies in the Heisei era till the middle/later 90s when the web was in full force and it was exciting looking at these new kaijus and not really seeing them in action nor knowing anything about them. You were lucky if video stores had imported the new movies at the time. This game was great and the boss was Bagan, an awesome character that was supposed to be in Godzilla 1985 but ultimately he was scrapped but he wasn't totally ignored as he made it into this game, that's one of the many fun beauties of video games that I love :bounce: This has one of My fave instruction booklets and look at the Godzilla stamp on the box, remember, if a Godzilla item doesn't have it then it's not official













Predator 2 for the Sega Genesis: This was really a surprise when I first played it. I loved the film so playing a game inspired of it was a treat to behold! If you read My in-depth write up of LJN & Acclaim in My Vintage Action figure topic then you'll know I am a big fan of Arena and company! This great rail shooter came out in 1990  :shock: Yeah, while Nintendo was still doing 8-bit and only in the early days of the SNES, Sega was already established as a true competitor with their 16-bit Genesis One thing was Sega's booklets were always good but in black & white as opposed to SNES' colored booklets, this was kinda an issue for Me back in the day but I got used to it and it was all good and fun







From My Video Games Collection Topic!

Ghostbusters Sega Genesis Game: Oh gosh, this is one of the most underrated games of all-time IMO. This was one of My favorite games to play on the Sega Genesis and it came out in 1990! Like many games that are inspiration or even coincide with their movie counterparts, there is some elements of all kinds like characters, locations, music, etc. that wasn't in the films and this great classic has a lot of that cool bonus stuff! My Grandma got this for Me in the later part of the 90s before our local Star Video went out of business thanks to Blockbuster Video down the street & Hollywood Video literally taking Star Video's place  Another thing I loved about Sega's games was their protective cases, this is something Nintendo really lacked for decades! In fact, Nintendo was quite behind on certain things till later...I consider Sega like Kenner & Nintendo is like Hasbro, Hasbro "borrowed" so many concepts from Tonka/Kenner and the rest is history!

So it was 1993, a big year for the WWF while many fans do not think so but I beg the differ here but I will elaborate on that later in the WWF wrestling section. They were advertising to ask your video retailer to get special WWF Stamps free when you rent any new WWF Coliseum Video. So after a few attempts they didn't have'em in but then one fine day Star Video had the Special WWF Stamps in. We rented a WWF Coliseum Video which was probably WWF King of the Ring 93 which was so memorable for many reasons, some are personal as well. I got the whole set and put them around My door, they are still there after nearly 30 years

NOTE: I got Post Cards & Bookmarks there too around the the same time, if you go back and look at My WWF Coliseum Video Poster from Verna's Mr. T's you can see on the side there a Bookmark on the wall from Star Video of Bret "Hit Man" Hart plus these guys ALL AROUND it



As a special UPDATE on 6/6/24, that Coliseum Home Video just may have been the great 1993 WWF King of the Ring Oh I remember that We rented it over at Star Video. I wanted to see a lot. I recall We were watching it late at night, My Grandpa PoPo had to go to early for work at his A&M Bike Shop so Me, My Grandma MiMi and My Mom all watched it together and they thought it was a very different event..I thought it was extremely fun and I still do to this day



Now this is arguably the most important video of My entire collection and perhaps the most crucial item I have in My entire arsenal regardless of genre and that is My Kindergarten Cop VHS Tape. I loved the film to begin with in 1990 when it first came out. However, times struck hard on Me when I was only 13 in 1994. I got bad, I mean really bad sick. I didn't know medical stuff or anything like that, I was still a kid. It was hereditary from My Father Buddy, when the sickness hit it changed My life forever, it is the reason why I am the way I am today. I didn't have a chance to have or even know My teenage years because when this happen I was 13 for a few months then I went straight to early adulthood mentally but I stopped growing. Remember in My WBF showcase when I said I was going to GNC at Crestwood Plaza and thinking about doing ICOPRO, well all of that was cut short During this early unfortunate time in 94. I say how great the 90s was but many times it wasn't great to Me There was somethings that would help Me cope. Of course My Parents were wonderful during this time. Wrestling, video games & action figures was a huge help but there was one movie that helped Me a lot and that was Kindergarten Cop. MiMi rented it for Me from Star Video. I hadn't seen it since 1990. I watched it over and over again at the hospital, I never got tired of it so She kept on renting it for Me. So it would be in mid 1995, I would finally get better and recover. When I did MiMi asked them and if she could buy it for Me in celebration. So she worked out a deal like she was so good at. She surprised Me with at the hospital while I was recovering. Remember when she surprised Me with the figures of OSTM'S WCW's Jimmy Hart, Harlem Heat & The Nasty Boys from Target and the fantastic autographs from Yokozuna & his figure, Owen Hart & Sting Well this was during this time in different months in 95 as well. My Grandpa PoPo reminded Me so much of Arnold because he was big like him, dressed like him and was such gentle man, so kind and made Me feel so good. So here is My Kindergarten Cop VHS Tape with MY NAME ON IT plus a special receipt and the VHS is STILL the way it was when I got 27 years ago, I took care of it and never changed it whatsoever




Here is MY NAME on the VHS that the owner of Star Video wrote on there herself so that nobody would mistakenly take it



Here is the receipt with Star Video's logo and the info. They wanted $8.99 so it was only $9.61 with tax. MiMi did good



Notice that it was Charles, I believe he was the manager of the store manager, he had very long, bushy hair always in a pony-tale and wore glasses. He was a nice guy. I hope he and the rest of the crew are still at it



Here is the title of the movie plus Star Video's address & info like they always put on their boxes.



As a special update on 6/6/24 --- I recall one day Me & My Grandpa was looking at Star Video's new release book cause that's how it was then (I've been looking for them off & on, I hope to locate one soon, they were so fun to look at & read). We saw the little poster (the one below!) in it and we're like oh man that looks really good. We read the description and we're like yep, that's right up Our alley He's says hey, Hydester, wanna go to Star Video now and see if they got it for rent I was like heck yeah, let's do it PoPo We went there and lo and behold they had it right in their new releases section. That moment has been there with Me ever since When We watched it We really liked it and were amazed by a lot that was it in it. It's really one of the best & last films of it's kind


As a special update on 11/3/23 I have been really thinking about some of the great times of seeing wrestling videos over there at Star Video and there is several WCW event that I recall renting which I could wait for

WCW Uncensored 95 was such a must see...



and so was WCW Fall Brawl War Games 95...



and oh man I couldn't stop looking at WCW Halloween havoc 95 I mean I was quite euphoric over this one....



nearly the same thing for WCW World War 3 1995...



however I believe the last one I recall was WCW SuperBrawl 6, it seemed like things were really changing by this time but like I always say, 96 was the year of change so



After Me & My Family actually saw it on the Fourth/4th of July at the theater of 1996, I got ID-4 VHS from Star Video several months after



Sadly this was one of the last things I ever got from Star Video because they went under not to long after but I am very fortunate to get this stuff, to know all about it and to have experienced all of the wonderful times



So where was Star Video Well it was right here. When We just found them in around 1991 which they had only been there short while beforehand, they were in a small section of Loughborough plaza that has a lot of history which I will express in more detail in a while. I really liked their early days. It was a super refreshing take on going to a video movie outlet. As Mr. T's was gone and Movie King was basically it while a young Blockbuster was moving in on Gravois Avenue which I will get to soon, it all looked so good with the aforementioned video boxes and even a huge Popcorn stand that was of equal to a big theater at the time. They had a lot of great stuff to choose from most of every genre and video games for the NES. I remember they even had a Adult Section as well. As a youngster I kinda sneaked around to it as this was a time I was really getting interested in women. I remember this one particular VHS cover of a very large boobed babe with her boobs far out, I believe she was doing some sort of hand-bra I think all of their tapes were like Playboy possibly softcore, I don't think they had any hardcore/XXX films but I can't be to sure about that I would sneak to this section often but what boy who isn't girl crazy at this tender age wouldn't It was kinda similar as to how I would sneak a peak at the nude babes over at Judy's Superstore which I have superbly expressed My love and showcased Her in My Vintage showcases cause She was the best but I was younger then and I miss Her dearly Again, I wasn't one of these kids you see going into trans or teenagers who don't know who or what they are and they become They/Them, I was a very curious boy whom just liked girls & women and I still do and I am quite proud of doing and knowing so During this time there was a Beauty School right next door to Star Video. I do not recall the name of it. My Mom enrolled there as she had a passion for this. She became like a pro. Many, many times while Me & My Grandparents went to Star Video, We'd stop by there and say hello & to see how She's doing. I'd show her what We just rented. I recall one moment when I rented Konami's Super C/Contra II for the NES. She was kinda surprised about it cause she got Me the first game for the NES years prior. So Mom's Beauty School was moving to South County a few blocks away from TRU and wouldn't you know, Star Video moves in right in there as it was much, much bigger As much as I loved their original incarnation, this one really grew on Me. However, the removed their Adult section but I got over that in time. They would have an even bigger selection of video games. They were getting rid of their NES games for the room for SNES & Sega Genesis games. They had a huge selection of Wrestling tapes too and I especially loved it when they got the new ones in predominantly the ones of WCW. I loved the year of 1995 for so many reasons, I remember when they got in WCW Halloween Havoc 95 I was astounded for it. I also loved how they would have new releases on the whole of Horror films. In fact when We rented spooky films from Star Video it always seemed quite fun and & unique. There was one moment I largely recall with My Grandpa PoPo when We wanted to rent 1995's Christopher Lambert's The Hunted. We were quite excited about that. We had so many great moments over at Star Video, there is too many to tell. Like I said above, I could teach the current generation of Star Video in Lemay a thing or two So they went out of business in around 97/98. Seemed like when 96 came around so much changed. They went out of business because of the aforementioned Blockbuster down the street around the corner on Gravois. Here is picture of what used to be Star Video and My Mom's Beauty School. See where Discount Smoke Shop & Edward Jones is, that's where the Beauty Shop was. See where Pizza Hut is, that is where Star Video's first location was then they moved in the larger area I just said then soon after Pizza Hut moved in there in Star Video's old first area. We would order them countless times for a couple decades and this pic is quite recent so they are still there but so few people know all of this and I hope there is others out there like Me who will never forget how great this plaza was with the fun of Mom' Beauty School and the awesome times of Star Video

[BrandonDaCollector]

Unfortunately TPTB made sure that this classic time would be another thing of the past



So it was just recently I had showcased how Blockbuster Video took over Peaches/Sound Warehouse and My overall first and other experiences with Blockbuster Video & Music in this very topic. We always went to Blockbuster on Gravois that you just saw above within the great area of the Untitled Video Rental Place and more. We sometimes would go to the one on Chippewa & Kingshighway that took place of Bonanza/Ponderosa Steakhouse in South Town where National & Famous-Barr (whom I also showcased a while back in My Vintage) once was across the street. We also would go to the one on Broadway across and neat the Mississippi River as well as they had some stuff Our main one on Gravois didn't have but Our main one was Our main one because it was the closest to Us plus We knew more people there as well. This is the Blockbuster that was driving Star Video out the door sadly that I spoke of earlier. However, We rented tons of movies, wrestling tapes and video games from them as well as bought them too. This is where My Grandma rented Me the Sega Genesis + 32X for Easter and I played'em for the first time EVER I have briefly spoke about that before. They had video game tournaments over there that I actually participated in. I never one won but I came in #3 playing ClayFighter in 1993 and oh I practiced and practiced at it



Like all of the previous places I have talked about & showcased within this topic thus far, My Grandma still had the "influencing edge" here too I just didn't buy movies but I also bought games too. OK, before I get into My moments, remember when you'd rent from Blockbuster and on them tapes & cartridges there would be all them Be Kind, Rewind labels on there that made rentals "RENTALS" Well here is a collage I made from some of My tapes I got from Blockbuster that you will see in a little bit. Here is that history that this most of generation sadly knows nothing about unless they were taught by the movie going parents and/or guardians cause I doubt they had the curiosity to look it and take the time to see it all online and reminiscent of how it was but I am thankful that I do



Update 1/22/24:

They had a great selection of Wrestling Tapes...it was still cool that they had the WWF 1989 Royal Rumble (35th Anniversary this year!) and I loved looking at the box at the box in similar fashion as to how I did at Verna's Mr. T's



I decided to add this from My Vintage Wrestling Collection Topic

So it was sometime in around 1993 so about thirty years ago this year. I was with My Grandma making the rounds and checking out Our great local Blockbuster. On their shelf they had a VHS tape I had never seen there before nor anywhere else and it was for sale. I really liked the looks of it so She got Me WWF Even More Unusual Matches. It has one of Bruno Sammartino's last matches, Lanny Poffo in Knight's Armor and the infamous match where "The Hulkster" injured "The King" Harley Race It has the old stylish VHS case that opens up which I really loved these kind. Take a gander at this classic as well as the VHS Tape itself



Now as I said I never seen it there before, We rented all of their wrestling tapes previously. I believe that this was a secondhand shipment and was placed there either by mistake or they just wanted to sell it cause there was no Blockbuster stickers of any kind there, instead there was one of Screenplay Video in 80th & Wadsworth Arvada Colorado which to this day I never knew them. Even though I didn't, I didn't want them to be forgotten as well cause unfortunately I'm sure there's people there that gives a rat's@$$ about them or doesn't even know about them so if somebody from that area is actually seeing this and knows of this Movie Rental joint and is like Me that you don't want them to fall to oblivion in this limbolic androgynous day & age then give Me a holla, I would really appreciate that



So along with that I also got WWF SummerSlam 90, it's one of My favorite SummerSlams. In around middle/late July, I got a WWF Magazine which was the August 1990 edition hyping up SummerSlam 90. I remember going down the street to My Grandpa's bike shop and showing it to him and telling him about Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake's horrendous accident and him being replaced by "The Texas Tornado" Kerry Von Erich. While PoPo was sad about Beefcake, he was glad about Kerry cause he loved him and glad that he won as well. This event IMO was one of the best of the entire decade. The box is still big like the other one but lacks the case option however it feels really smooth & nice kinda like the WWF Magazines. I have always loved the Front, Back & Side Covers of the match ups and all that great stuff



Here is the VHS Tape itself as well as the lovely classic Blockbuster Video Labels & 1990 Copyright I have always loved the quality of Coliseum Video. The old/vintage WWF Magazines & Videos were really My fave to get back during these good times and IMO really were the best you could get regardless of genre, if they weren't tell Me otherwise

Plus this from My Video Game Collection Topic

Here is Sega's World Series Baseball 95 & World Series Baseball 96 that I got from Blockbuster. These were so revolutionary at the time with the graphics & camera angles. These also sported the newer sliding Boxes that took the place of the harder Protective Cases. While I really don't prefer these types, these are fine too. These are still some of the best Baseball games you can play and Notice Manny Ramirez is the coverboy of WSB 96

So like Mr. T's & Star Video's first location, if there was a movie or videos with babes on'em I would notice them. Well, one day in 1998, I was looking in the long new release section, one strikingly got My attention because there was L.E.T.H.A.L. Ladies: Return to Savage Beach and I was completely astounded by it. I never rented it or anything cause movies that are adultish & softcore like this wasn't a fave in the household so it was My own type personal liking and I never talked about it with anybody. I bet I had looked at that dozens of times over there every time We went there. That's Julie Strain there whom was a 6 foot tall beauty, very sultry dominatrix type of actress that I was familiar with prior and the other babe is Shae Marks who was a big time Playboy Playmate in the 90s that appeared in regular TV shows such as Baywatch among others as well. Out of the 2 I loved Shae more. She was extremely gorgeous. I knew her before as she was a valet for HHH in the WWF in January, 1996 the Monday Night Raw right after the WWF Royal Rumble 96 which was one of the all-time greatest RAWs EVER IMO As you see on the VHS Box Cover she is very well endowed with extremely ideal big boobs and thick body. When she was with HHH she wore a very concealing dark dress but if you looked closely you can clearly see that her boobs were quite big under there and he had a good amount o screen time, dang shame she didn't do more. I love the women of the 90s and Shae Marks was an absolute perfect example of how they were and see if you can see a woman looking her now So that wasn't it, WCW's Marcus "Buff the Stuff" Bagwell was also in as he returned from the prequel along with the lovely babes! It also starred another adultish actress named Julie K. Smith that was blonde great and had very big breasts as well which you can see her on the back cover all in white. Ya know, there's so much I miss about video rental places but something like where you see a VHS cover that really get's your attention that has beautiful big-boobed women on there that get's you amorous. This current age we're in doesn't compare to it then whatsoever



So here is some of the absolute best & crucial movies I got from Our usual Blockbuster. In 1996 Me & My Mom had one of the best times ever for Halloween 1996 when We went to the Darkness in Soulard, I saw a poster there of a movie called The Relic, I wanted to see so she took Me to the show at the Kenrick on My Birthday in 1997, 25 years ago this YEAR I was so thrilled and happy about this horror movie, it was one of the greatest I ever saw. Then for weeks upon weeks I waited for Blockbuster to get it in (I believe Star Video was unfortunately out of the picture already and they were getting in it late. I told My Grandparents how great it was and they couldn't wait to see it. I told them that I don't want to rent it...I want to BUY IT So for a while I was quite depressed and it seems crazy yes but it was a struggling time for Me and I wanted THE RELIC so in not too long Blockbuster had it for sale which was briefly used and I snagged it up and bought it before any other plebeian did cause nobody wanted that film more than Me, I loved it that darn much and I STILL DO See the box cover had the same picture as the poster did at the DARKNESS, it was so terrorific Later I got another great horror movie called Tale of the Mummy from 1998, We rented it at first but dang I really liked it. A while later they had it for sale and I purchased it used as well. Now another film that I got used is one of My all-time favorite films is 2000's Hollow Man. Blockbuster had it for sale and it was an absolute no brainer to get it, I watched it many times. I mean when you love movies as much as I did and you watch them a lot why rent then over and over when you could just own them for the same price of two or so rentals, I mean come on it's just better. Here is the three I just spoke of that is some My most beloved movies in My entire VHS COLLECTION





So a few years later when Blockbuster was getting rid of their VHS tapes and making room for the age of DVDs, I saw a movie one day over there one day when Me & My Grandma was checking it out. I saw My Grandpa is a Vampire over there. I had mixed emotions about getting it. We left and went to Schnucks and our usual places but the thought was just lingering in My mind about it and it would not leave so I said to her I want to go back to Blockbuster and so she agreed, We did and I got it. I didn't want anybody else getting it cause I recalled how I liked the film years ago in 91/92. I love to feel that smooth box! Here is a Blockbuster Brand Blank VHS Tape. Yes they had their own. Remember when you could buy blank tapes and record your favorite TV shows and whatever else when there was no such things as a DVR Well of course those days are long gone but gosh they good and now the seem special




So here is where Our usual Blockbuster was. Its in the area I showed you earlier across the street from the Unknown Video Place, Zito's Pizza & Walgreens. Thanks to Red Box across the street on Walgreens' lot and in general, Netflix and the coming of the digital age Blockbuster went out of business and the times We once knew was coming to end Many years later in 2014 a Marco's Pizza & Family Video years later moved in the said Blockbuster Video building where you could order your Pizza, Sandwiches & more and rent movies and the Pizza Dude/Dudette would BRING YOU YOUR RENTALS as well, how can you go wrong with that Apparently you could because a few of years ago Marco's went out due to all of the Pizza joints around town and just very recently with the help of the P!3Demic and of course good'ol Redbox, Family Video went out of business. I mean they looked great, really impressive, it was the past meets the future but this day & age just doesn't allow the cool things to happen whether their from the past or not because TPTB and the conditioned plebeians just won't have it and it makes Me sick Now it's Royal Liquor & Great Clips



Update on 12-21-23 --- First Day of Winter: I recently found some new material on Google Street View Here is what My local Blockbuster Video looked liked back in the 2000s and prior. You can clearly tell that it's the same building as seen above and boy am I thankful that I found this, I loved that Parking lot

Now after they went out of business the building was vacant for years then it finally got occupied. In 2014 it would be with Marco's Pizza & Family Video as I talked about above. This is what they looked like together

Now here's the Red Box at Walgreen's lot against their wall that everybody was like hive-minded lemmings forcing Blockbuster Video away and the same happen to Family Video even many years later It really shows you how much this modern society especially this generation cares about the past and the future that not one plebeian ever thought about their time at Blockbuster Video at any location and/or any local video rental outlet never-minding their own personal experiences and those said places...I mean their out there in all kinds of weather, whether it would be hot or cold, thunderstorms or snow blizzards...the plebeians would be there instead of a nice cozy Blockbuster that is so much more convenient and that has so much more to chose from...it really seems like such a no-brainer situation right It's bad enough hardly anybody talks & teaches about their past like the stores and the people they once knew in their childhood or later to their family & friends in person and/or online but when their actually allowing to be conditioned by TPTB's ways to wipe out an era is just deplorable and by this happening and this generation not learning nor caring, the future is going to be so darn bleak

[BrandonDaCollector]

So like you just saw about Blockbusters's lables their major competition in physical store, not online had'em too and that was none other than Hollywood Video. I have spoke of them many times before. Our usual location was just doors away from where Star Video was believe it out, it seemed like everything became one in a much smaller world as the years would go by. We loved them as much. In My Go-Bots & Rock Lords showcase I spoke of a Walgreens that I got them at, across the street the building used to be a Hollywood Video. We used to go there a lot. Not as much as the one on Loughborough & Morgan Ford Road but still a bit often. They had a really cool collage of movie posters all over their walls, My favorite one was their Batman Forever with the same poster I showed in PB's Movie Trailers topic with Tommy Lee Jones' Two-Face SMILING. Oh it was rad seeing this in huge scale on the wall, if you never been to a Hollywood Video before in the 90s & early 2000s then you missed a really cool video rental outlet that manged to exist longer than Blockbuster but still fell to Redbox, Netflix and this digital age we're in now So at Our main location it was pretty cool. The nephew My Grandma's late friend Violet worked there for a while whom is also related Representative Fred Wessels whom I have met before. My Grandma knew them well. She made deals here at Hollywood Video too like all the rest of the fine stores in this presentation though this was really the last hurrah however when it came to video rental joints. Here is the Hollywood Video Labels.



So I got a lot from Hollywood Video, maybe not as much as from Blockbuster but just as memorable. I saw this over there and I wanted My Grandma MiMi to see if they could put it for sale and with much debate & questionable outcome, her charming persuasion worked and I was able to purchase the 1987 Masters of the Universe live action film I wanted it ever since it came out hence when i spoke of Rainbow Video in the beginning of this grand presentation of My Glory Days of Video Rentals and it was one of the great films that missing from My collection. It's still as wonderful now as it was back then which this year in 2022 marks it's 35th anniversary and I'm so glad I have it in honor of that



So I got some other great goodies over at Hollywood Video[b] including two of My all-time favorite horror films [b]Phantoms & Deep Rising which both came out in 1998. I just love these ilms and I have always associated them with one another sometimes I put them together with 97's The Relic because they are three of the most underrated horror movies ever IMO and its been that way for decades now but its so exciting to own them




So here is some other fantastic goodies from Hollywood Video. I was looking to get some of My fave movies of 2001. It is truly a remarkable story they didn't have it for sale but a new employee was really nice, she was a young, heavyset black woman, she knew I wanted 2001's Planet of the Apes a lot so along with 2001's Jurassic Park /// which I also wanted bad, she just slipped them in Our rental bag and they were Mine She really liked Us especially Me and let Me tell'ya she was something else, it was an amazing day for sure. Sometime later I was looking to buy movies again but this time the right way. One of the movies I bought was 2003's The Hunted, We rented it first and We thought it was such a fun & thrilling film as it is one of My favorites of ever, of all-time




Here is where the former and Our first usual Walgreens was. This is the one I said about long ago when My Grandma convinced Me that I wasn't too old to get Action Figures when I was feeling doubts when I saw this ToyBiz Marvel Wolverine in the early 90s like 92 or so. They would move to where Redbird Lanes were down the street near The River des Peres that I had spoke about in My original Video Game Topic. It would be unoccupied for along time until the late 90s when Hollywood Video would move in. Keep in mind this is still the same small plaza you saw prior when I showed Star Video & My Mom's Beauty Shop, it was all in the same big long complex, such a small world isn't...see what I meant when I said that before They survived the dreaded Red Box/Netflix/Digital Age disaster longer than Blockbuster did till the mid 2000s but they ultimately fell too Apparently it is TPTB's ways of making "their" destiny a reality ruining fun times. It was cool when Me & My Grandma would shop next door at Save A Lot. We would go there and rent/buy movies or vice versa. Hollywood Video was THE LAST video rental place of classic times and it was truly the end of a terrific era Their sign was there on the corner for many, many years before being taken down only a few short years ago. What is now is a Club Fitness. Now, like most if not all of the video stores I have showcased within this wonderful presentation have all been forgotten or not even known about by so many people and even one such as Hollywood Video too but thanks to My major effort, I am not letting that happen for a second





Here is a special Blockbuster & Hollywood Video pic that I thought was so apropos, Oh I just love that history

[BrandonDaCollector]

SUPER SPECIAL BONUS ENTRY

I wasn't originally going to do this but I kept on think'in about it and I'm like if I don't do it now then I'll kick Myself hard plus it will be the end to start the beginning of spooky stuff I have planned soon here in My Odds & Ends. So it was 1988, I was seeing trailers on TV and this and that of Who Framed Roger Rabbit. I knew nothing about it. Me & My Grandma was at Our local Target and in their entertainment area they had their TVs showing the movie and We were like dang that looks good but darn it's like $30 or something (brand new VHS was expensive then) but My Grandma was interested and knew I wanted it so she bought it for Us. We weren't disappointed at all. I mean it had all kinds of cartoon characters I already knew together mixed in live action, Christopher Lloyd was the villain and the music was by Alan Silvestri so it was such a superb time. I love how the box has raised graphics and looks so cool. Later about a year or so at Target they had Daffy Duck's Quackbusters, I wanted it bad she got it for Me. That is one of My most favorite animated films of ever, of all-time and it's hilarious plus it has that classic Halloween and spooky feeling about it that so much in the future lacked. Despite that the cover looked good, the box wasn't scary at all and if you didn't read the title and it's description on the back you'd think it was just a regular type of Looney Tunes animated feature rather than a classic horror fest then again your most well know characters all looked pretty scared Here is the two VHS Tapes Together!




OK, so you've heard Me talk about My local Target a lot and within times I have been talking about and showing places on Hampton Avenue and in Hampton Village like Almost Everything Sports Store, Louie's Pizza, Johnny Brocks and more. Well here is the Target that is right across the street from the former B. Dalton, Johnny Brocks and current Schnucks and the former Walgreens some of My Go-Bots and other stuff came from. Now this is a pic of the newer remodeled current one from the mid 2000s but its in the same exact spot/location as it's predecessor and the while newer one is great and I had many good moments and got many great things there for years, its really hard to beat all of them classic moments I had at the original Target



So that will do it for My huge Glory Days of Video Rentals. I hope you enjoyed it and found the content that I provided and talked about surprising & exciting. If you are just now seeing this then please get to the beginning of how this all started and to see what My HOLY GRAIL VHS Tape was/is. I didn't cover Schnucks Video Club on Iron street, Loughborough or Hampton Village as I may cover them later in My Vintage Wrestling Topic. If some of the horror stuff that I just featured here wasn't enough for you in this grand presentation then there's more coming because next up will be some cool spooky items I have in store for Halloween time in the comin' days and weeks, until this I'll see you around