Blockbuster Video Closing Valley Store
By Logan Hall
Locals are scrambling to rent one last movie as Blockbuster prepares to close its doors after more than a dozen years of business in Mira Monte.
Ojai Valley store manager Lupe Ruvulcava said he couldn’t comment on the situation, but did confirm that the store is closing. Representatives from Dish Network, Blockbuster’s parent company, refused to comment, and instead sent a generic email that briefly explains why any given Blockbuster store might be closing. “ … Stores can close for a number of reasons, such as the store reaching the end of its lease, a store may be too large in size, or property owners may be unwilling to reach a reasonable lease renewal,” read the email from Danielle Johnson, spokeswoman for Dish Network. “ … We remain committed to maintaining only those stores that we believe we will be able to operate profitably.”
The fate of the store’s employees remains uncertain.
In an attempt to reassure those that may be affected, the response from Johnson indicated that there might be hope for the company’s current local workers. “We intend to relocate as many employees as possible to other stores.”
Employees answering the Mira Monte store phone indicated that the valley Blockbuster will stop renting to customers on Dec. 26 and will close its doors to the public in January after selling its inventory.
Repeated inquiries for more information went unanswered, and Johnson refused to confirm or deny when the store is officially closing.
The word “elitist” doesn’t really describe Ojains too well Tim. Most people here conceal their wealth.. the guy with a million dollars who lives in a trailer, the person who has enough money to buy a huge house in Persimmon hill but wants to live in a modest house in town… The millionaire artist who gave most of his money away, so forth and so on.
Tim,
You probably went to Chapparel. How’s the milk from the govenrment teat tasting these days.
Anon.5
“All of you are idiots if your so well mannered and smart then why are you arguing calling each other names when this site has nothing to do with you its about BLOCKBUSTER!!!! CLOSING!!! Grow the f*** up!!!”
Freedom of speech is our guaranteed right, and perhaps we might just “grow the f*** up” as soon as you improve your communication and spelling skills.
My apologies to all Nordhoff grads whom were offended by my statement. My parents were products of Norfhoff education, which is a poor sampling of intelligence, but I did not intend to judge all equally.
All of you are idiots if your so well mannered and smart then why are you arguing calling each other names when this site has nothing to do with you its about BLOCKBUSTER!!!! CLOSING!!! Grow the f*** up!!!
What is being “offered?” Who knows? The ever-expanding network of neural connections in a young
person require a trained and prepared instructor.
Can the OEF pay for that?
It is a public high school; it takes everyone. The education is there for any student who wants to learn. Those who don’t want to learn sometimes like to criticize because of their own failure to take advantage of what is offered.
MARY-
I agree. Tim made a Very insentative comment. Many fine people have graduated from Nordhoff over the years, including myself. My mother graduated from Matilija (summa cum laude) back when it was the high school. We Ojaians are not stupid!
Tim doesn’t know much about a Nordhoff education; maybe he should learn a little more before being so quick to judge.
Well dear friends, in spite of you who were asleep in Civics class, we live in what is called a “democracy” and a “capitalistic economic system.” This means that for better or worse and for the most part people can live where they want and TRY to make the place they live in how they want it to be to the best of their abilities and by voting for people who represent their aspirations.
So that means basically, if you don’t like the shopping malls of Oxnard, the traffic and crime you can God willing move to a place like Ojai. What’s cool if you move to Ojai is that you CAN easily drive to a place like Oxnard and go to Walmart. Ojai couldn’t support a Walmart in any case–they wouldn’t build one here because it wouldn’t be economically viable. Maybe everybody wins that way. On the other hand if you just get so mad that you can’t go to Wal Mart every morning to buy a cheap churro and coffee you are free to move closer and live in Oxnard!
As for businesses, they exist if they survive, and since this isn’t the Soviet Union of years past the government doesn’t usually support you when you fail. If someone offers a better product, whether you’re nice or not, you might go out of business and it happens all the time. Bummer about Netflix affecting Blockbuster’s bottom line, but also raise your hand if Blockbuster fulfilled all your movie needs. As for me I found it expensive, lacking variety and it was too far for me to drive to get and return movies after Ojai Video went out of business. I now get Netflix. That neighbors, is the American Way.
Like Pine Mountain Kid, I too grew up here (and I’m older than him) and I left New York City to move back here; not because we have better opera, museums and deli sandwiches in Ojai, but because I like beauty, small town life and values. What many do not grasp is that I think many tourists choose to come here because Ojai is the way it is–make it like Everywhere USA and what exactly would the point be of coming here? I don’t want everywhere to be like Ojai, but at the same time I don’t want everywhere to be like Oxnard or New York City.
“Tim,
You have proven that you did not pay attention in school. I said the Ojai Valley, Mira Monte to be exact. The only reasson I said DAMM proud of my superiority is because I can spot an IDIOT from a mile away!”
-The Pine Mountain Kid
This pointless statement has been brought to you by a Nordhoff education. We now return you to our regularly scheduled programming, already in progress…
I believe they are not closing one store, but instead opening 5 new stores in Ojai proper.
Tim,
You have proven that you did not pay attention in school. I said the Ojai Valley, Mira Monte to be exact. The only reasson I said DAMM proud of my superiority is because I can spot an IDIOT from a mile away!
The store was profitable but a lease problem was on the table. Now there is only a small store at they Y left. That store is a hole in the wall with little to choose from. Hopefully someone else will open a store.
Blockbuster closed down the location because it was no longer profitable. The obvious reason is the emergence of services like Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, On-demand Cable, and other sources of video entertainment.
Blockbuster does however, have an opportunity to capitalize on Netflix’s recent blunders. We’ll see if they take it.
As for Walmart, it makes neither economic nor logistical sense to add a store in Ojai, but your suggestion Bryan, was obviously tongue-in-cheek.
Guess that means a lot of good bluray deals.. I’m petitioning to get Walmart in ojai.. iid love to have a non-union huge megastore in ojai to piss off all the lib nuts who live here. As for quality of life, excess stuff for real cheap prices is my idea of quality of life,
Pine Mointain Kid, I was born and raised in Ojai and the Valley also, and the Ojai Elitist Mentality (ego) is the main reason I would never call Ojai my home again. Yes, it’s true, Ojai, your stuff does indeed stink just the same as the rest of the world’s.
YooHoo, check your geography- Blockbuster is not located in Ojai, whether it belongs there or not.
I’m not in favor of big business or Corporate America/China in the least. I am questioning Blockbuster’s logic here though in this instance. They just lost a huge demographic of customers. I’m also betting that the former owner of Oak View’s Video Adventures is now wishing he had held out just a little longer before closing down. I’m thinking he could have regained a lot of his old business starting next month. Alas, his own shotty business practices nailed his store’s coffin shut years ago in the making.
John Langley,
If you live in Ojai, I’m sure the reason you moved here is to have A quality of life that you couldn’t find where you lived before. If you don’t live in the Ojai Valley, it’s best that you don’t come to our Valley and bring your CITY WAYS and infect us.
Born and raised in Ojai and DAMM proud of my superiority!!!!
“Goodbye to big business that we don’t need in the Valley!!!”
Really?
Typical “Ojai superiority”.
You, sir, are mentally ill. You have a very serious problem. Get some help.
Goodbye to big business that we don’t need in the Valley!!!
I don’t understand how they can close it down, Lupe is a real nice guy and all his people need jobs. He hasn’t even done anything wrong!
Last spring, Blockbuster corp filed for bankruptcy but the store remained opened. All gift cards, however, were invalidated, making my $25 gift card useless. That’s when they lost me as a customer. Corporate shenanigans!
Good riddance. (deleted) and Blockbuster is a horrible corporation that does not belong in Ojai.
Was it still open??? After all of these years???
What about Bryce???
How dare they close that store. Ojai needs a rental facility. Who does this company think they are????
With the many on-line services available, this comes as no surprise. Someday there will be no ‘brick & morter’ stores. Everything will have to be ordered via the Internet.
Now that’s too bad. Lupe Ruvalcava runs a good running store.
What’s Blockbuster?