Below is a timeline for all notable retailers related to home video. Some of these retailers may also be distributors. It should be noted that this website uses the term, “Home Video,” in two different ways. Firstly, it uses it as an umbrella term for the viewing of movies in the home, physical or otherwise. Secondly, its also the label given to the era in time where movies are being released on physical video formats.
April 14th, 1894
The First Kinetoscope Parlor Opens
The first kinetoscope parlor opens in New York City, at 1155 Broadway, on the corner of 27th Street. It is often considered by many as the first movie house or by some extension, an early ancestor to the video rental store.
October, 1977
Magnetic Video Titles Reach Retail Stores
Magnetic Video’s line of 20th Century Fox titles are made available to the public via retail outlets such as electronic and record stores. They cost $49.95.
December, 1977
George Atkinson Creates the First Video Rental Storefront
Atkinson opens “Video Cassette Rentals” in Los Angeles, the first brick and mortar video rental shop in the country. First Advertised on December 6th in The Los Angeles Times, the store opens with both 1/2″ and 3/4″ formats. According to Atkinson, the store opens with both VHS and Betamax versions of the Magnetic Video catalog.
May, 1979 (Billboard, 1979/03/08, p. 18)
The First Video Shack Opens In New York City
Theater owner, Arthur Morowitz, opens his first Video Shack store in Manhattan, NY, at the corner of 49th and Broadway. It becomes an iconic NY fixture during the 1980s. Its believed to be the first video specialty store to only sell videocassettes.
June, 1979
Paramount Enters the Home Video Market Through Fotomat
Still skeptical of the home video market, Paramount decides to license its films for videocassette rental through Fotomat, a nationwide photo development chain.
October 14th, 1982 (Variety, 1982/10/13, p. 45)
First Video Rental Vending Machines Launch
The world’s first videocassette vending machine, the “Videomat,” is distributed throughout Germany, mainly at grocery stores and gas stations. With the machine, a patron can either rent or purchase a cassette. It holds a total of 200 videocassettes.
November 23rd, 1984
Columbia Pictures vs. Redd Horne Inc.
Courts decided that renting out private booths for the viewing of movies constitutes as a public viewing, and therefore, violates copyright. The store in question was Maxwell’s Video Showcase in Eerie, Pennsylvania.
1985
The First Movie Gallery Opens
Partners Joe Malugen and Harrison Parrish open the very first Movie Gallery store in Dothan, Alabama.
December, 19th, 1985
The First Blockbuster Video Opens
The first Blockbuster rental store opens in Dallas, Texas by software engineer David Cook and his ex-wife. Their goal is to make their store a family-oriented superstore. On opening day, it has a massive selection of 8,000 titles.
1988
The First Hollywood Video Opens
Mark Wattles registers the company name “Hollywood Entertainment” in Oregon on June 6th, 1988, and opens the first Hollywood Video location in Portland. It later becomes a mega chain.
April 21st, 1997 (PR Newswire, 1997/04/21, p. 1)
Reel.com Launches the First Online Movie Rental Service
Reel.com is the first to use an online ordering form for the rental of movies. They launch their service with 35,000 titles available for rent. Although much smaller websites, such as Home Film Festival (homefilmfestival.com), Video Wasteland (slaughter.net) and Video Vault (videovault.com) were already renting videos over the internet, they required calling or e-mailing an order in.
April, 1998 (Billboard, 1998/05/16, p. 53)
Netflix Launches Online DVD Rentals and Sales
With the company established the previous year, Netflix launches their online DVD rental service with 925 titles available for rent for $5 each.
May, 2004 (Fresno Bee, 2004/05/26, p. C6)
Redbox DVD Vending Kiosks Launched
Redbox begins a test launch of DVD rental kiosks in the Denver area. They become the first widely successful DVD vending service in the country. Prior to splitting off into a separate entity, the concept began as a McDonald’s Ventures project to drive more customers to their restaurants. By November of 2012, they will have 42,000 kiosks across the country.
October 12th, 2005 (Wall Street Journal, 2005/10/13, p. B1)
Apple’s iTunes Offers TV Shows For Download
Apple announces iTunes 6, the latest incarnation of their music downloading software. This time around, it allows users to purchase music videos and TV shows for viewing on their latest iPod model.
September 12th, 2006 (Chicago Tribune, 2006/09/13, p. 3)
Apple’s iTunes Releases Their First 75 Movies
Apple finally announces full-length movies to be played back on the iPod. They open with 75 titles from the Walt Disney Company, each costing between $9.99 and $14.99.
January, 2007 (New York Times, 2007/01/25, p. C1)
Netflix Begins Rolling Out Their Streaming Service
Netflix slowly rolls out their movie streaming service at 250,000 customers at a time. Its a subscription-based streaming only service. Depending of the subscription, users are given an allotment of viewing hours each month. There are 1,000 titles to choose from at launch. The rollout is expected to complete by July.