PHILADELPHIA —
The Little Movie Store in South Philadelphia is reviving the tradition of browsing physical movie aisles with thousands of DVDs and VHS tapes.
Rediscovering the joy of browsing
“The coolest thing that happens is people walking through here and going, ‘Oh, I did miss this. This is kind of what I’ve been missing. I’ve been scrolling for many years. I sort of miss strolling,'” said Dylan Wise, owner of The Little Movie Store.
Located at 10th and McKean streets, the store aims to recreate the experience of holding and sharing physical movies, a tradition once common for families.
“Walking through the aisles of a place, feeling a physical movie, holding it up, showing it to a friend of yours,” Wise said.
Wise has compiled thousands of DVDs and VHS tapes, including titles like “Batman” and “Scooby-Doo,” as well as rare finds unavailable on streaming platforms.
“We have movies that maybe people didn’t know existed. Wu-Tang Clan put out a series of kung fu movies,” Wise said.
An alternative to streaming
The store offers annual memberships for $160, which allow customers to rent movies and access other perks. Wise said nearly 200 people have already signed up. Non-members can purchase movies, and the store also rents VCRs and DVD players for those who need them.
Wise said the interest in physical media reflects a growing demand for alternatives to streaming.
“I think people miss the ability to walk through and not be directly targeted by an algorithm,” Wise said.
While VHS and DVD formats may seem outdated, Wise believes they still have a place in the future.