Videosyncratic
My favourite shop in the world is closing down, and so is its sister shop. The presence of Videosyncratic in Summertown helped persuade me to rent a room nearby a few years ago, and I'm mighty glad I did.
I fell in love with the place straight away. It had a light, airy charm, and as well as hiring out the latest big budget movies, it offered a wealth of indies, foreign films, TV shows, comedy, action and more. I saw almost all of The West Wing and 24 thanks to that place. Moreover, I saw loads of good things it would otherwise never have occured to me to check out.
Then I met Jon, the owner, at a comedy night. We soon became great mates, and I would often spend Sunday evening chatting to him in the shop while he worked. I'd also hang out with him at the Cowley Road store - just as I used to do with Tyrone years before at Physical Presence. (He's gone from strength to strength and owns a gym in Banbury.)
I have to admit, as a capitalist, that such camaraderie would be frowned upon in a chain store. Hell, it would almost always be impossible. Which of those would allow you to sit behind the counter for hours, talking to your friend? And I will miss Videosyncratic for more than that - for the service it provided, and which I would have adored even if I hadn't gotten to know Jon, his father Michael, Ben, Laura and some of the other staff.
The fact is that the free market isn't perfect. I support it, but it isn't perfect. Videosyncratic's absence will leave a big hole in my life. Buying or hiring DVDs off the Internet or from a big store won't plug that gap. Jon and Michael built something really special, and they should be proud of themselves.
Anyway, they're having a sale. Here's Jon:
"We're having a bonanza. Summertown branch will cease trading at close of business on Sunday night. Starting on Monday, at Cowley Road branch, we're selling EVERYTHING off. VERY CHEAP! ALL the DVDs, ALL the comics, ALL the graphic novels, ALL the T-shirts, even ALL the VHS (which will be very, very, very cheap). If you want shelves, we'll sell you the shelves! If you've been looking for a Humphrey, WE'LL SELL YOU HUMPHREY! Always had your eye on our lifesize Gremlin? HE'S YOURS FOR A PRICE. So, a HUGE DVD and comic shop sale."
It's well worth making the trip.
posted by Tom Greeves at 12:43 pm
