Gualala Video: Best Video Store Ever

There has never been a Blockbuster Video out in the small town of Gualala, California. Hollywood Video never made it out here either (and would be gone anyway thanks to bankruptcy), and there's none of those Redbox machines at the local supermarkets. On one hand I say thank goodness that none of them made it out here to force family run stores out of business. But then again, none of them could even compare to what is the single best video store I have ever walked into - Gualala Video. This independent video store which is just off of Highway 1 has just about every single movie ever released on video and DVD. Their selection extends from the floor to the ceiling, but not to worry, they don't require you to bring a ladder from home.

Now Gualala Video does not currently have a website, but it has been around for a good ten to twenty years. According to the Insider's Guide to Gualala, it is currently owned by David Bradbrook who knows where every single title is on the shelf. David is more than happy to set up with an account even if it's only temporary, and there is a candy jar on the counter for anyone who wants a piece (provided you leave some change for future candy funding).

Like Rocket Video in Los Angeles, California, Gualala Video has its movies arranged in categories like by actor, director, and genres like science-fiction. My dad really loves the foreign section which has films like "A Prophet" and just about every Lars Von Trier movie you would ever want to bring a box of tissue to. There's even a section for movies that were filmed in Gualala and the surrounding area. This store also gives you a reason to still own a VCR. They have a plethora of VHS tapes for movies not yet released on DVD, and some are still available in those first edition Warner Brothers cases made out of plastic, long before they changed to those flimsy cardboard boxes.

For me, the store holds some great memories. Sometimes I don't even go in there to rent anything; I just like to look around and see everything available. Years ago, it was the only place that had a copy of John Carpenter's "Assault On Precinct 13" (the original, NOT the Ethan Hawke/Laurence Fishburne remake) for me to rent. Back then, it was extremely hard to find, and I almost had to wait for it on DVD which didn't happen for another few years.

Then there was when my brother and I rented "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory." Neither of us had ever watched it before, and the manager looked at the VHS box and said:

"Man! We've made over $1,000 dollars off of this video!"

My brother replied:

"Yeah, we've never actually seen it."

A blond teenage girl working behind the counter immediately said:

"YOU'VE NEVER SEEN IT??!! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN???!!!!"

Believe me when I say that Gualala Video is the end all of video stores on the face of the earth. If you are ever visiting the town of Gualala or nearby Sea Ranch, you owe it to yourself to at least visit the store to see all that they have. Any movie you are looking for will be there. To sum it all, I will leave that to Stacy G. who left this comment on the Yelp website:

"If I could burn down my local Blockbuster and replace it with Gualala Video, it would be a dream come true."

Sources:

"Let's Go To The Video (Store)," Insiders' Guide To Gualala-The Gualala Blogger, Carol Kozal, June 4, 2010

Gualala Video at Yelp.com, Stacy G., January 8, 2009