Rest In Peace, VHS

We know it's been a dying format, but alas, VHS is officially gone. It celebrated its last Christmas, toasted its last New Year.  Back in October, the last truckload of VHS tapes were moved out of a warehouse in Florida, and anything remaining in the warehouse will be tossed or given away. That's it. The end of an era.

The last remaining stock in the country was bought up by a guy who specializes in what he calls "distressed inventory." It buys up cheesy old movie memorabilia, unpopular music, other people's junk. Yup - VHS has become junk.

Who buys this stuff?

The owner of the warehouse has been buying up old movies and blank tapes, then selling them to the vast array of dollar stores and discount retailers. You know - those tapes you find at truck stops and convenience stores.

But, no more. He's sold his last VHS. His prediction: DVD will be obsolete in three or four years, replaced by Blu-ray. Guess what he's stocking up on now . . . — Leslie Shapiro

LA Times

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