Alberta man opens free 'Blockbuster' on his front lawn
A St. Albert man has opened his own version of the once-popular Blockbuster Video stores on his front lawn - and it’s free.
The homemade wooden box, with the familiar blue and yellow sign, sits on Fairview Boulevard and is packed full of DVDs, Blu-Rays, and even some Xbox games.
The creator of the box declined an interview with CTV News Edmonton Thursday night because it’s “not his style,” to be on the news. But he said he got the idea after he was unable to sell off his stuff in a recent garage sale.
He said the neighbourhood is known for several free book libraries in similar front-yard boxes, so he adapted the idea into something fresh.
Neighbours Maxine Mikkelsen and Lois Croken stopped by Thursday to browse the box.
“I think it’s pretty cool, and the name, to call it Blockbusters adds a nice dimension to it,” Mikkelsen said.
“We definitely used to go to Blockbusters. It’s easier now (to stream movies). But I do miss it, my kids were at that age where it was exciting to go pick out movies.”
“I miss it. It was fun, with the kids,” Croken added. She said she sometimes helps herself to books from front-yard libraries and said she may use the “Blockbuster” too.
At its height of popularity, Blockbuster had more than 9,000 stores worldwide, according to Wikipedia.
The company closed 146 Canadian Blockbusters in 2011, including 6 rental locations in Edmonton, when it went into receivership.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
New Norad commander calls Canada's defence policy update 'very encouraging'
American troops will be spending more time training in the Far North, the new commander of Norad says, a strategy that fits 'hand-in-glove' with Canada's renewed focus on Arctic defence.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Are Canadians getting sick from expired food?
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Documents reveal Ottawa's efforts to get Loblaw, Walmart on board with grocery code
It was evident to the federal government as early as last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might be holdouts to the grocery code of conduct, jeopardizing the project's success.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.