LOS ANGELES — Before there was Netflix, before there was streaming, Blockbuster dominated movie rentals.
In the 1990s and early 2000s, it was the main go-to for people to rent VHS tapes with more than 9,000 stores nationally. It was not to last, however. The company went bankrupt following the Great Recession.
But it will soon be back as an immersive experience called the Blockbuster Speakeasy. Created by the same folks who brought Angelenos the TV-inspired pop-ups, the "Golden Girls" Kitchen and "Saved by the Max" restaurants, the Blockbuster Speakeasy is a '90s throwback to the days when movie fans had to go to a store, browse the racks of titles and use a physical machine to play films on a TV.
Reimagined as a bar, the Blockbuster Speakeasy experience begins with visitors receiving a membership card as they enter. That card serves as a drink ticket after paying guests have walked the aisles of cocktail and beer genres inspired by popular movies from the ‘90s and 2000s.
To redeem a drink ticket, visitors bring the VHS tape to the checkout counter, where a Blockbuster bartender will serve up its affiliated drink. Like real Blockbusters of yore, the experience also includes popcorn and candy.
The Blockbuster Speakeasy is located at 7174 Melrose Ave. in Los Angeles and runs Nov. 19 through Feb. 19. General admission to the Blockbuster Bar is $45 per person and includes two cocktails. A Blockbuster Brunch, starting Dec. 10, costs $55 and includes one entrée and one throwback cocktail.