Netflix didn't kill Napier's second-to-last video store - it was thefts that did it

Video store theft is a civil matter but going to a debt collector is "pointless", Kevin says. Photo / Duncan Brown

Another Hawke's Bay video store has put the "closing down" signs up, but it wasn't Netflix or online streaming that killed its star.

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"Rising rents and thefts" was the catalyst for the collapse of Best Video, manager Kevin - who would not give his last name - said as he made up a few "closing" signs for the windows.

"It's not Netflix that's stuffed it — it's people stealing and a big rent increase — you just can't live and rent under these conditions," he said, adding they were issues which had affected other businesses but few wanted to mention them.

He has managed the Taradale Rd video and games library for the past 10 years and it had been operating for about 20 years.

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There was only one other video store now operating in the city and that was United Video in Taradale, he believed.

"This is the second-to-last."

And on March 5 the doors will close for good, which saddens him but he said the costs he had to bear running it were too much today.

He faced a 35 per cent rent rise and said thousands of dollars of products had been, and continued to be, stolen. The replacement costs were hurting and so too was trying to track and get discs back.

"So much theft goes on."

He was told by police it was a civil matter but going to a debt collector was pointless because there were hundreds of titles outstanding.

"I just can't afford to keep replacing them."

There was also the matter of disc damage which was a regular occurrence going by the pile of about 30 titles he had stacked ready for repair — at his cost.

Closing the store was something he was doing with regret but there was no alternative.

Theft and damage created so much extra work — to the point where the costs meant he was unable to hire someone to help.

"Closing up hasn't quite sunk in yet but this has become too much trouble.

"A few years back you could bear the costs but it's got too bad now."

He said he would miss the "hundreds" of great customers and friends he had made through the years but there was no alternative.

"Not sure what I'll do yet — I'm a truckie — I have the truck licence so we'll see — but I'll miss this."

He began putting the closing signs up on Monday and had been encouraged by the response, and support.

To clear stock he was selling ex-rentals for $2.50 and would continue renting until February 17.

His decision to close comes just a week after Hastings' last video store Civic Video announced it was closing at the end of the month.