Can the last Blockbuster in the world survive the pandemic?

There was nothing like rolling up to a Blockbuster video store on a Friday night, parking in front of the bright yellow and blue marquee that symbolized a beacon of weekend hope for families and movie lovers alike. Today, with one final location still open in Bend, Oregon, we look at the video rental store’s cultural impact and ask the question, can the last Blockbuster in the world survive the pandemic?

A history of Blockbuster

Blockbuster LLC opened its first location on October 19th, 1985, in Dallas, Texas, offering a home video rental service that would eventually expand to other services including video game rental, DVD-by-mail, video on demand, and even streaming. At the height of its powers in 2004, Blockbuster operated 9,094 stores that employed a total of 84,300 employees across the globe. Blockbuster was like a 1950s candy store for the modern era, as children would frolic through the aisles as they narrowed down their viewing options among friends while parents searched across the “New Release” wall, puzzled as to why all 84 copies of 2000’s Chocolat have been rented out. Sadly, when Blockbuster failed to compete with the likes of Redbox, Netflix, and other rental services, this iconic brand began to see a steep decline, ultimately filing for bankruptcy protection in 2010. After many of its stores closed, a variety having been purchased by Dish Network, the final 300 company-owned Blockbusters locked their glass doors in 2014. Until there remained only one.

Blockbuster in Bend, OR

If you’re still trying to hold onto what last bits of the 1990s exist in today’s tech world, you may want to consider a trip to beautiful Bend, Oregon, where the very best of your nostalgia cravings will be fulfilled. Store owner Sandi Harding, otherwise known in local parts as the “Blockbuster Mom”, is still fighting hard to keep her store open amid a world of streaming, giving hope to other small business owners around the world as they look to this yellow and blue north star, saying to themselves “If she can fight for her business, then so can we.” The Airbnb sleepover experiences were limited one-time events in September 2020 for local residents only. Today the focus has shifted to a merchandise-driven model that keeps the doors open.

The Last Blockbuster

Filmmakers Taylor Morden and Zeke Kamm released their documentary, The Last Blockbuster, on December 15, 2020, which features interviews and anecdotes by Kevin Smith (Clerks), comedian Doug Benson, Jamie Kennedy (Scream franchise), and owner Sandi Harding. The film tells the Blockbuster story, including elements of the 2008 financial crisis as well as the company’s lack of leadership and poor marketing strategies. “No late fees,” you say? The project also chronicles the lone-surviving store and how it’s managed to survive through a healthy combination of perseverance and nostalgia, especially in a time where the media landscape is constantly changing. The documentary later streamed on Netflix and earned a 71 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Merchandise-Driven Business Model

Approximately 80 percent of the Bend store’s income now comes from merchandise sales rather than traditional rentals. New DVDs are sourced from Walmart and Target because major studios enforce vendor minimums that a single location cannot meet. Snacks come from Costco for the same reason. This pivot replaced the old reliance on overnight fees and late penalties with steady shelf stock that travels well with visitors and locals alike.

Social Media Marketing and Viral Moments

The store released a Super Bowl-timed Instagram commercial in 2023 featuring a cockroach in a post-apocalyptic setting that played during Super Bowl LVII halftime. The short clip drove a measurable uptick in both online orders and foot traffic. Harding has leaned into the platform’s reach to keep the yellow and blue sign visible even when physical media occupies less shelf space than it once did.

40th Anniversary Celebrations

The Bend location hosted a block party in October 2025 to mark Blockbuster’s 40th anniversary. Local bands played, staff handed out limited-edition T-shirts, and longtime customers posed for photos beneath the familiar marquee. The event doubled as a community gathering and a reminder that the last outpost still draws people who remember Friday-night lines and the smell of freshly popped popcorn.

Tourism and Visitor Experience

Harding credits the store’s continued operation through 2026 to a combination of local support and Bend’s tourism industry. TripAdvisor reviews frequently describe the shop as both a working store and a nostalgic museum-like experience. Visitors browse the remaining DVD racks, snap selfies with vintage posters, and leave with branded merchandise that serves as proof they found the final Blockbuster. The last blockbuster continues to function as a destination attraction that pairs movie love with Oregon travel plans.

Can the sole remaining Blockbuster survive?

The store remains open as of mid-2026 with a merchandise focus and steady community and tourism support. The 2025 anniversary celebration underscored how far the business has come since the uncertain days of 2020. What once looked like a fading relic has become a self-sustaining landmark that sells the memory of itself while still renting the occasional disc. The question is no longer whether it will survive the pandemic. The question is how long this singular yellow and blue outpost will keep welcoming new generations who want to experience the last blockbuster in person.