Videopros Prepares To Close Its Doors

Surprised customers returned rented videos to Videopros in the Garage on Mt. Auburn St. yesterday only to discover that it would be the last time.

After fifteen years of operation, Harvard Square’s only video rental store began a month-long liquidation process leading up to the closing of its doors permanently on May 31.

“It’s a sad but unsurprising sign of our times,” said Brian A. Coakley `02, a two-year Videopros customer. “It seems like every day you hear about another mom and pop shop closing down.”

“I guess I’ll probably be going to Blockbuster in Central or Porter Square now,” he added.

Videopros is not the first local video store to fold in recent months. As rents rise and chains like Blockbuster and Hollywood Video dominate the market, liquidation has become the order of the day for many independents.

Approximately 22 area video stores have been liquidated since November, according to Adam Camacho of Video One Liquidators, which is handling Videopros’ inventory.

“We’ve got stores going in New Jersey, stores going in Philadelphia, stores going in Oregon,” said Camacho.

While Videopros will be open for another month to sell off its inventory, other stores have been closed with as little as an hour’s notice, Camacho said.

“Chances are, at the rate we’re going, I’m sure there won’t be any more stores to be closing,” said Yong Park, liquidation manager for Video One.

Park’s ambivalence comes from personal experience, he said.

Both he and Camacho managed independent video stores closed down by Video One.

“Basically, the way we came to wind up doing this is that we’re video store owners and managers who became victims to this,” explained Camacho.

Harvard students said they will feel the loss of Videopros strongly.

“I rent all my movies from there,” Rayd K. Abu-Ayyash `01 said. “I think there’s a big need for a direct media place in the square.”