End of an Odyssey: Reflections on Video Stores in 2020
By: Conor Holt
Tags: Los Angeles, Film, Vhs, Video Stores

Note: I originally wrote this before the pandemic, and subsequently things have gotten a lot worse for video stores nationwide. Please support your local video stores, now more than ever!

Whenever I’m in North Hollywood, I always make sure to drive by Odyssey Video. The video store closed in 2018, but the husk of the building still remains, with its bright yellow paint and the big sign overhead, nicely visible to the major intersection it sits next to. The place operated for over 30 years, and even now after death, it’s not entirely gone. Maybe potential buyers are scared off by the ghosts of movies past.

It had a classic video store layout, with new releases stacked around the walls, sections like comedy, horror & classics in the center, and the adult films behind a door in the back. The store still rented out VHS tapes, a rare thing these days. Up front by the counter were a bunch of DVDs and tapes for sale. It was never busy when I visited, but there was always a customer or two, milling around the aisles, perhaps searching for some lost classic that wasn’t available to stream.

Back in my hometown, I spent many a Friday night at Hollywood Video, choosing between a new blockbuster or some obscure film I’d never heard of. It closed while I was away at college, and now that another store has taken its place, there’s no evidence that a video store was ever there. I can’t even find a photo of it online. The loss of a chain video store isn’t as tragic as a unique independent store, but even the likes of Blockbuster fostered many a young cinephile’s love for cinema.

Luckily, Odyssey announced its closing a month in advance, so longtime customers and curious visitors had a chance to say goodbye. As the days passed, the vast collection of VHS and DVDs vanished as they found new homes in the hands of collectors, myself included. I snagged an incredible collection of “Monty Python” VHS tapes, and while I love owning them, looking at the Odyssey Video stickers on them induces guilt at the knowledge that that these tapes, which were supposed to be available to everyone, now remain hidden away in my apartment.

Next to Odyssey Video is a mural of famous characters from literature. This is a remnant of Iliad Books, which used to be next door, hence the literary references in both businesses’ names. Iliad Books moved several blocks away to a cheaper location in 2006, and maybe if Odyssey had done the same, it would still be open today. As it is, the faded exteriors of Iliad and Odyssey still stand on the corner, waiting to be turned into a coffee franchise any day now.

Do we still need video stores in 2020, when we have so many streaming sites? There are many reasons why the answer is still “yes,” from the fact that there is a huge lack of classic and international films available online, to the realization that subscribing to every single streaming site adds up to an incredible monthly bill. But most of all, video stores are important in a very tangible sense. Having a singular location devoted to movies, either a video store or a movie theater, gives movies a weight and importance, as well as offering a space for movie lovers to meet and interact. They are as important as parks to walk in, playgrounds to play in, and libraries to read in. They are an essential part of any community.

Odyssey Video’s closing was another sad loss for Los Angeles movie lovers. Beloved locations Video Journeys in Silver Lake and Video West in West Hollywood both closed in 2015. Mom & pop video stores are scattered across the county, but they can seemingly disappear overnight, without a trace. Every neighborhood in the city used to have their own special place, but now you probably have to drive across town to get your video fix, and Angelenos hate doing that.

Still, hope remains. CineFile Video in Santa Monica, Videotheque in Pasadena, and Eddie Brandt’s Saturday Matinee in North Hollywood still stand, while Star Video continues to operate several locations across the city. If you’re up for a drive, smaller towns on the edges of LA County or in the Inland Empire still have stores. Kate Hagen has written extensively about LA’s video stores for The Black List, and I’ve gone on several road trips thanks to her recommendations.

Supporting these shrines to cinema, by renting or buying from them, is essential, or else they’ll disappear just like Odyssey Video. But even in such a dark landscape for video stores, sometimes there are miracles. The famous Vidiots store closed their Santa Monica location in 2017, but they’ll be reopening in Eagle Rock in the fall of 2020. Perhaps this rebirth could inspire new video stores to give the business a go. Here’s hoping. Until then, I’ll keep driving by Odyssey Video & fondly remembering the past.