Hollywood Video, a movie rental store in Tenleytown, is set to close within the next two months, but a definite closing date has not been set, according to Kendra North, a former Hollywood Video employee.
It has stopped renting its merchandise and is currently selling all movies, video games and candy for a fraction of their usual cost. The decision to close came two weeks ago because the rent for the store doubled, according to North.
Hollywood Video does not comment for stories, according to an individual who answered the phone at the store Wednesday evening.
The sale was not advertised until an inventory could be completed to prevent people from stealing movies they had rented and not yet returned, according to North.
"I returned a video last week, but we just can't find it," she said. "Everyone is really taking advantage of our closing."
Some AU students have bought merchandise from the store.
"I bought a massive amount of movies, and I stole a poster," said Kyle Benda, a sophomore in the Kogod School of Business. "And they have mad selections of gangster films, including 'Thug Life.'"
Also, many are stocking up their movie collections for fear they won't have many opportunities to rent.
"We're panicking right now," said Victor Rotola, a sophomore in the School of International Service. "We don't know where to go."
With Hollywood Video closing, the closest movie rental stores are the Blockbuster in Adams Morgan and Video Rack in Dupont Circle.
Ebad Khan, a freshman in the School of Public Affairs, said he might rent movies online.
"I think I'm going to get a bunch of people together to buy Netflix," he said. "It's cheaper and easier."
Bender Library, which expanded its movie selection this summer, also loans feature films.
"Since Hollywood Video is closing, I would definitely consider renting videos from the library," said Caroline Lewis, a freshman in the School of Communication. "I mean, it's the same videos for free."
The library maintains films primarily for professors to use in class and can be loaned to professors for two days, according to the library's Web site. Students may borrow movies for use within the library, according to the Web site.
Film duplicates or those not often checked out in a few years may be placed in the library's home use collection. Films in the home use collection circulate for two days, according to the Web site.
