WATCH: The last holdout video store in the Cowichan Valley is closing its doors and another in Parksville will be close behind. The popularity of streaming services and online options is being blamed as the last remaining video stores are now dropping off the map of Vancouver Island. Skye Ryan reports.
A trip to the video store has always been a favourite thing to do for Katie Sabourin, but not today.
“No I can’t believe this I’m so sad,” said the Cowichan Valley woman. “Yeah I love renting videos, I’m old school.”
The last holdout video store in the Cowichan Valley has decided to close up shop for good after 27 years in business.
“Yeah, it’s an end of an era,” said Pioneer’s Video employee Donna Katch.
Katch has worked at Pioneer’s Video for 13 years and knows how quiet it’s become as streaming services and online options have fast outpaced videos in popularity.
“I really think it is a dying business,” said Katch.
Parksville is also about to lose its last video store. After 22 years in business, Flix ‘N’ Pix Video will close in December.
It’s kind of been an agonizing decision,” said Flix ‘N’ Pix Video’s owner Jacquie Fantinato. “We’ve been waffling you know back and forth but just kind of came to that decision that the time is the time,” said Fantinato.
Still, it’s too soon for some. A few video stores are making a go of it in Langford, Victoria and Port Alberni but for Sabourin, the closure of Duncan’s Pioneer’s Video will be an end to a weekly tradition that she’s enjoyed since childhood.
“Yeah this a huge bummer,” said Sabourin. “I guess these are my last ones.”
Skye Ryan
