End of an era: As Family Video closes, libraries offer movies, music and games for free

Goodbye, Family Video.

The store chain that once boasted 800 locations with 10,000 employees is shutting down its last 250 sites.

It began with Betamax and ended with coronavirus.

“Today, I have to make the difficult announcement that we are closing all Family Video locations,” Keith Hoogland, chief executive officer of parent company Highland Ventures, announced Tuesday in a news release. “The impact of Covid-19, not only in foot traffic but also in the lack of movie releases, pushed us to the end of an era.”

There are 25 remaining stores in Ohio, including six in the Akron-Canton area: 2130 Eastwood Ave. in Akron, 3710 Manchester Road in Coventry Township, 2967 State Road in Cuyahoga Falls, 210 E. Smith Road in Medina, 3610 Lincoln Way E. in Massillon and 2509 Easton St. NE in Plain Township.

Movie and video game rentals ceased Wednesday. The stores will sell everything off, including DVDs, Blu-rays and store shelves.

Family Video, which opened in 1978 in Illinois, survived 10 years longer than competitors Blockbuster, Hollywood Video and Movie Gallery, which all succumbed to the growing popularity of video on demand and streaming services.

Local libraries are ready to fill the void for customers.

Stephanie Jolliff, manager of the culture and audiovisual division at Akron-Summit County District Library, said patrons can borrow videos from the Main Library and the district’s 18 branches. There are more than 56,000 titles available.

“All they need is our library card, which is super easy to get,” she said. “It takes less than five minutes to sign up for a card.”

All locations are open normal hours Monday through Saturday.

They all offer DVDs and Blu-rays, but the Main Library even has a VHS selection for people who haven’t updated their equipment.

There is a limit of 30 movies per person per checkout. Videos can be taken out for a week, but customers can renew items up to five times.

If they are uncomfortable with going inside during the pandemic, patrons can call with orders or make them online and visit the drive-up window at the Main Library or ask for outside pickup service at the branches. All materials are quarantined for five days after being returned.

Online customers can also order titles through digital streaming services, including Hoopla, RBdigital and Kanopy at akronlibrary.org, Jolliff said. No video games are available at this time.

Stephanie Cargill, communications director for Stark Library, said the system’s 10 locations offer movies, music and video games for patrons.

Customers can go directly to the branches and select what they want or go online and reserve them from the catalog. The Stark system also has media boxes at the Main Library and the Jackson, DeHoff and Plain branches.

“It’s mostly video games, but some movies,” Cargill said. “You can reserve them online and come in and pick them up right from the machine with your library card.”

Including duplicate titles, the Stark system has 78,683 DVDs, 37,480 CDs and 1,570 video games. And the system offers hundreds of thousands of titles for streaming via the Hoopla app at starklibrary.org.

The district offers curbside pickup. Patrons can reserve online or by calling 330-452-9665 and pick up at the branch of their choice. No appointment is necessary.

Videos have been especially popular during the pandemic, she said. Many families don’t have online access and depend on the library.

“People can actually take out up to 50 items at a time,” Cargill said. “On a given Friday, if you’re at one of the libraries at closing time, you have people coming out with bags and bags of movies to watch over the weekend.”

The Stark district quarantines returned materials four days per CDC guidelines, she said.

Cargill said she was sorry to learn that Family Video was closing.

“Somehow Family Video had survived when everybody else closed,” she said. “I was kind of sad to see that going away.”

The shutdown could boost business for Redbox, which has kiosks outside dozens of Akron-Canton supermarkets, drugstores and convenience stores. Customers can rent or buy movies. For a kiosk near you, visit redbox.com.

Discount Drug Mart also offers the rental and purchase of movies and games at some locations in Ohio. For more information or to see a list of newly released titles, go to discount-drugmart.com.

Citing declining sales during the pandemic, Family Video closed 200 stores last fall. The remaining 250 stores will close after liquidation sales.

The company says that all online orders will be processed like normal and that www.FamilyVideo.com will remain open.

“We have enjoyed being part of our employees’ and customers’ lives and communities for the last 42 years,” CEO Hoogland wrote.

Mark J. Price can be reached at mprice@thebeaconjournal.com.