Why Blockbuster Tweeted for the First Time in Six Years!
Imagine my surprise when this appeared on my Twitter feed!
Just checking in. 👋
— Blockbuster (@blockbuster) August 11, 2020
Needless to say, EVERYONE had jokes, mostly about how they still haven’t returned a movie or video game! But my favorites are the responses from other brand Twitter handles.
You & I used to have some wild Friday nights back in the day. 🍕📼
— Domino’s Pizza (@dominos) August 11, 2020
So long as you stay outta the Midwest, we’ll have no problems… pic.twitter.com/eveuTE4Npp
— Family Video (@FamilyVideo) August 11, 2020
— Walmart (@Walmart) August 11, 2020
That reminds me. I need to return my VHS tape ASAP.
— Flo from Progressive (@ItsFlo) August 11, 2020
It’s not Thursday, we aren’t ready for this throwback 💚
— Xbox (@Xbox) August 11, 2020
It’s not Thursday, we aren’t ready for this throwback 💚
— Xbox (@Xbox) August 11, 2020
After seeing what they came back to, it looks like Blockbuster had enough!
Ok, we’ve seen enough. Checking out.
— Blockbuster (@blockbuster) August 11, 2020
As it turns out, there is a perfectly good reason for all of this.
…cause the last BLOCKBUSTER in the world will be offering movie lovers in Bend a 90s themed sleepover for a limited time—only on airbnb. who’s down? 👀https://t.co/dd4yz1UtZP pic.twitter.com/NJEZK2wxeW
— Airbnb (@Airbnb) August 11, 2020
The last Blockbuster store in the world is in Bend, Oregon. And next month, three families will get to stay there OVERNIGHT, and watch as many movies as they want.
The owners are basically renting it out for FREE on Airbnb for three nights next month. They’re only charging $4 a night, which is the same price they charge to rent one movie. (Here’s the Airbnb listing.)
They turned part of the store into a ’90s living room with a NON-widescreen TV . . . VCR . . . bean bag chair . . . and pull-out couch, plus candy and snacks. They’ll also be disinfecting the whole store after each family checks out.
You have to live in the area, and there’s no word if they plan to open it up to more people later on.
Sandi Harding has been the manager since 2004. She says the only reason they’re still in business is because the community goes out of its way to keep renting movies from them. So they wanted to do something fun to say thanks.
One thing you CAN do is call for movie recommendations. Netflix has algorithms, so they launched a jokey ad campaign this year for “Blockbuster CALLgorithms.”
You literally just call the store . . . tell a real person what kind of movies you like . . . and they suggest stuff, just like back in the day.
Their number is 541-385-9111