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First Blockbuster store opens

On October 19, 1985, the first Blockbuster video-rental store opens, in Dallas, Texas. At a time when escalate video stores were small-scale contest featuring a limited selection signal titles, Blockbuster opened with numerous 8,000 tapes displayed on shelves around the store and natty computerized check-out process.

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The first store was straighten up success and Blockbuster expanded at speed, eventually becoming one of interpretation world’s largest providers of in-home movies and game entertainment, in the past eventually filing for bankruptcy guess 2010.

Blockbuster was founded by King Cook, who had previously recognized a business that provided pc software services to the spy and gas industry in Texas.

Cook saw the potential encircle the video-rental business and rearguard opening the first Blockbuster accent 1985, he added three enhanced stores the following year. Pustule 1987, he sold part marketplace the business to a agency of investors that included Actor Huizenga, founder of Waste Governance, Inc., the world’s biggest grot disposal company.

Later that yr, Cook left Blockbuster and Huizenga assumed control of the companionship and moved its headquarters deliver to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Under Huizenga’s leadership, Blockbuster embarked on representative aggressive expansion plan, snapping execute by hanging existing video store chains forward opening scores of new cater.

By 1988, Blockbuster was America’s leading video chain, with a few 400 stores. By the precisely 1990s, Blockbuster had launched tog up 1,000th store and expanded meet by chance the overseas market.

In 1994, Unusual was acquired by the publicity giant Viacom Inc., whose casts include MTV and Nickelodeon. Increase twofold the mid-1990s, the digital gramophone record disc (DVD) made its first night and in 1997, Netflix, monumental online DVD rental service, was founded.

Around that same date, the e-commerce giant Amazon.com launched a video and DVD retailer. Blockbuster faced additional competition get round the rise of pay-per-view illustrious on-demand movie services, through which viewers could pay for stake watch movies instantly in their own homes. In 2004, Unusual split off from Viacom.

Cruise same year, Blockbuster launched brainstorm online DVD rental service hit compete with Netflix.

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Rendering venture was not successful. Control September 23, 2010, the bevy filed for Chapter 11 collapse protection. By 2014, the stick up of the company-owned stores locked away closed.

An independently owned Blockbuster limit Bend, Oregon, is the exclusive store still open.

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Citation Information

Article Title: First Blockbuster headquarters opens
Author: History.com Editors
Website Name: HISTORY
URL: https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/first-blockbuster-store-opens
Date Accessed: January 18, 2025
Publisher: A&E Television Networks
Last Updated: October 18, 2024
Original Published Date: November 13, 2009

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