Source link : https://las-vegas-news.com/7-retail-chains-americans-remember-from-blockbuster-to-circuit-city/
Most people can still picture the layout of a store that no longer exists. Maybe it was the new release wall, the toy aisle at the back, or the demo TVs lined up near the entrance. Those places shaped weekends, birthdays and holiday shopping for millions of families.
Each chain on this list had its own rise and its own exit. Some vanished almost completely, while others survive in a much smaller form. Here’s how seven of them are remembered.
Blockbuster
Blockbuster was the Friday night ritual for a generation. In 2004, it had more than 9,000 stores worldwide. Its blue and yellow stores were known for new release walls and late fees.
The decline came with the rise of rentals by mail and then streaming. Blockbuster tried competing with its own DVD by mail service, but it was too little, too late, and the chain filed for bankruptcy in 2010. The last corporate owned store closed in January 2014.
One location still operates. In 2018 the Bend, Oregon store became the last Blockbuster in the United States, and in 2019 the last in the world, though it’s an independently owned franchise. It still rents DVDs and sells branded merchandise.
Its survival has become a story in itself. In October 2024, false rumors of a Halloween closure spread online, and the store said they were untrue. Travelers’ reviews from 2026 on Tripadvisor suggest it’s still drawing visitors.
Circuit City
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Author : Matthias Binder
Publish date : 2026-10-08 02:54:00
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