Another Nail in Blockbuster’s Coffin?

Blockbuster has some new competition in the neighborhood, but it’s nothing for the few remaining ma-and-pa video stores to cheer about. The ARM – automatic rental machine – known as RedBox is spreading like wildfire across the country, and is growing its presence in Sheepshead Bay. RedBox is an instant $1/day DVD rental kiosk containing approximately 200 of the latest DVD movie releases. While the company has had one machine operating at the Stop & Shop on East 17th for a number of years now, two new RedBox kiosks have popped up: one at the Knapp Street 7/11 (on Voorhies Avenue), and the other at the  Coney Island Avenue 7/11 (on Avenue Y).

According to the company’s corporate history, RedBox was originally owned by McDonalds but sold to Coinstar in 2007. If any more kiosks come to the neighborhood or it’s surrounding environs we can expect them to show up at other 7/11’s, and possibly McDonalds or Walgreens.

So, where does that leave Blockbuster, the last of which in the area is on Nostrand Ave between Y and X? Considering they’ve been reinstating late fees, it doesn’t leave them with much of a leg to stand on. And so the Blockbuster death clock ticks away…

(FYI: You can get a free RedBox rental for signing up for the service’s newsletter or SMS alerts)

Ed. Note – The original article listed the Nostrand Avenue 7/11 on Avenue Y as having a RedBox. It doesn’t.