Independently owned stores like Arizona Video Cassettes, Adventure Land Video and Sounds Easy to Me operated throughout the metro Phoenix area in the 1980s, serving up the latest movies on VHS and later video game cartridges for the Nintendo Entertainment System and Sega Genesis home consoles. Then came the ‘90s and the rise of national chains like Blockbuster Video, Hollywood Video and Video Update, each of which had multiple locations throughout the Valley.
In the 2000s and 2010s, though, the bottom fell out of the home video industry because of the rise of Netflix and the arrival of streaming services. Video stores all went belly up and the national chains went bankrupt. Today, there’s only two stores renting in the Valley, Superstar Video in Phoenix and The House of Used in Mesa.
In celebration of National VCR Day on June 6, we’re rewinding back to the era when VHS tapes ruled and video stores were community hubs with a collection of vintage photos of local video stores.
![](https://media1.phoenixnewtimes.com/phx/imager/u/blog/19145585/vintage-phoenix-video-stores-02.jpg?cb=1717802344)
Former Valley resident William Wingfield (center left) with legendary porn star Lisa De Leeuw (center right) at Arizona Video near 42nd Avenue and Dunlap in the 1980s.
William Whitfield
![](https://media1.phoenixnewtimes.com/phx/imager/u/blog/19145598/vintage-phoenix-video-stores-15.jpg?cb=1717802342)
A 1984 photo of Adventure Land Video at Southern Avenue and 48th Street in Tempe.
Tempe History Museum
![](https://media1.phoenixnewtimes.com/phx/imager/u/blog/19145598/vintage-phoenix-video-stores-15.jpg?cb=1717802342)
A 1984 photo of Adventure Land Video at Southern Avenue and 48th Street in Tempe.
Tempe History Museum
![](https://media2.phoenixnewtimes.com/phx/imager/u/blog/19145596/vintage-phoenix-video-stores-13.jpg?cb=1717802341)
A 1985 photo of University Video in Tempe. The shop was located at University and Hardy drives.
Tempe History Museum
![](https://media2.phoenixnewtimes.com/phx/imager/u/blog/19145601/vintage-phoenix-video-stores-18.jpg?cb=1717802342)
A location of Video Powerstore near Southern Avenue and Rural Road in Tempe in 1995.
Tempe History Museum
![](https://media2.phoenixnewtimes.com/phx/imager/u/blog/19145594/vintage-phoenix-video-stores-11.jpg?cb=1717802341)
A Hollywood Video location at University Drive and Rural Road. The property is now home to a Trader Joe's.
Tempe History Museum
![](https://media2.phoenixnewtimes.com/phx/imager/u/blog/19145600/vintage-phoenix-video-stores-17.jpg?cb=1717802342)
Blockbuster Video operated dozens of stores in the Valley, including this location at 2720 W. Baseline Road in Tempe.
Tempe History Museum
![](https://media2.phoenixnewtimes.com/phx/imager/u/blog/19172478/vintage-phoenix-video-stores-30.jpg?cb=1717802342)
The exterior of Superstar Video near Seventh Avenue and Osborn Road. in 2013. The store was destroyed by a massive fire in 2015.
Google Maps
![](https://media2.phoenixnewtimes.com/phx/imager/u/blog/19172478/vintage-phoenix-video-stores-30.jpg?cb=1717802342)
The exterior of Superstar Video near Seventh Avenue and Osborn Road. in 2013. The store was destroyed by a massive fire in 2015.
Google Maps