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Unread January 23rd, 2013, 02:44 PM
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Cool Time To Take Off Our Masks ... Who Are You ... Really?

It was suggested in another thread and I thought I would start a new one for it.

My name is really Becky. My family opened our first video store six months BEFORE Blockbuster opened their store. Mom was featured on the news around the world when her store was attacked for having a porn room (it was her second store, the room was locked and had a mere 15 tapes in there) We still find it funny that the man who started it (who, incidentally, was the Uncle of the owner of her competitor - who was a former employee of mine who stole my store records to open her own.

As they say, Karma is a bitch. She paid her employees under the table, one turned her in and she had to sell off most of her movies to pay the resulting bills. The nail in the coffin was when I told a spy she sent to my store that I was getting ready to open a new store just down the road from her and rent movies for a nickel just to run her out of business. Dumbass bought the tale and sold her store very quickly. We had quite a laugh over that one. Really ... like I would do that. That's what you get for sending a spy, Jennifer.

Anyway, my store was wonderful to me. I had a couple of locations and absolutely loved my life. I hated when Blockbuster killed the goose that laid the golden egg by instead of being happy making tons of money renting movies and having the biggest selection they teamed up with a revenue sharing company, got the information on which independent stores were doing well, and opened as close to them as they could and run them out of business. Many of my friends lost their businesses this way, and that is why I truly hate Blockbuster Video. Independent video stores were great assets to the towns they lived in. They were fun employers, participated in local events and really cared about their towns.

The saddest day in my store was when a young couple and their two children were on their way to return movies to my store pulled in front of a cement truck and the children died. I know a part of me died that day as well.

I had a porn room with 1500 titles. The morning show on the local rock station spoke of my "squeaky door" often. Young adults used to tell me the first thing they were gonna do when they turned 18 was goin into that room. LOL. I was nominated Simply the Best Video Store in my town 5 times. Blockbuster won each time. I was always there because it was an honor from my customers. Blockbuster never showed up.

I used to give gift packs to the children who rented movies at my store. Just doing that tripled business. I talked about it at the VSDA show. Blockbuster copied me but failed. They didn't have the main ingredient ... me, and my employees. Each Christmas we adopted needy families. The most we ever helped was 120. I truly cared (and still do) about my community.

My biggest regret in my life was the day I decided to close my store. I wish I could take that decision back. I really, really do.

The video industry brought two very important additions to my life.

First was Ozzie, who I met on the VSDA site and who brought me here a very very long time ago. I shall always consider him one of my dearest friends, and he has been with me through some of the worst times - and some of the happiest times of my life. <3 OzMan <3 (And no, we are not a couple ... get your minds outta the gutter )

The second is my dear daughter Hannah. I won't go into details but let's just say that two of us went to the East Coast Video Show in Atlantic City in 1996 and three of us came back.

Oh, wait ... I forgot. I worked for Blockbuster for about 4 months right after I closed my store. I managed 4 stores in 4 months right around the time of Project Stores. I was seen as a huge threat in the last store I managed because of my membership here and the friends I made, including a certain RD. I quit after a woman driving an SUV like mine went over the mountain I drove twice a day to and from work on a wintry night and died. I am a single mom and I have two daughters to raise. I simply could not take that chance anymore.

I am now a writer working on a book based on the past life memories of my eldest daughter and based around the 1889 Johnstown Flood and the following years. It will be a fictionalized account but will be far more factual than fiction. I have been asked to write it so it can become a movie. We shall see.

I am on facebook connected to all the major posters here. Add me if you wish.

I shall miss you all, my dear children. If anyone starts a new site let me know. I call dibs on the username MOM.

Much love,
Becky
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Last edited by HelloItsMeMOM; January 23rd, 2013 at 08:48 PM.
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  #2  
Unread January 23rd, 2013, 05:04 PM
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I'm Jen. I started working at my local BBV (I won't say exactly where, but a small town in MD) when I was 16, almost 17 for some extra cash after high school. My mom was friends with the store manager. I worked there up until I left for college when I was 18 and the store manager was fired. I still don't know what for. Took a semester off and when the BBV closer to college didn't have room for me I decided to commute the 45 minutes to and from my old BBV. AAfter several months I was bumped up to SL because we had few other staff. We went through 5 or 6 SMs before the ASM decided to step up to the role. She was fantastic.

I worked there for about 5 years until my junior year of college. I loved all the other staff there (even hooked up with one of them), but hated most of the customers. Most judged me for not having time to watch movies. Some for the scars on my arms. Others were needy, and one just plain had it out for me. Some of the managers scheduled me 40 hours. Others every weekday. Finally, I changed my schedule. My availability was 2 days a week and every other weekend while I was in school, but I was rarely scheduled more than Tuesday and Friday. Because there was only the SM, myself, and another SL, they eventually got burned out and hired another SL. She started taking my hours (which were few to begin with) and doing my previously assigned tasks. I was getting to the end of my rope driving all that way for very little money.

My last straw was a Saturday night during winter break. I came in around 3pm. The other SL left. I was by myself until 4pm when the CSR was scheduled. It began to snow, and the store got slammed. I then found out that the CSR had been given permission from the SM to come in late so he could hunt. We had line wrapping around the entire store for hours on end. I can't remember what time the CSR finally came in, but it took us the rest of the night to catch up. During that time, the phone was ringing off the hook. I finally gave in and answered it hoping it would be a coworker I could beg to come help me. It wasn't. It was a Gold member who wanted to know the list of ALL the new releases, all the B movies, and several things about her account. This particular woman thought she ruled the planet so it was a pain to try to get her off the phone. During that time, I rang up customers and didn't upsell or greet or do any of the crap w. Were supposed to do.


Cut to the next week where, you guessed it, I got secret shopped that night. I got written up, and after I signed the paper (was told I had to, and I didn't know any better. I do now), the SM told me she wouldn't have written me up if she had known everything that happened.

Cut to a week later, and my hours have been cut to 5 hours per week on the direction of the DM. So, I thought about it for my entire shift, finally decided that would be my last day there, wrote a note to the SM explaining myself, and threw my keys in the dropbox on the way out.
I know what you're thinking, and the reason I stayed for my entire shift was because I was working with one of my roommates and she was my ride home.

Soon after, just about all the other staff quit or got fired and that store was one of the first to close. Which made me really happy. I still keep in touch with the guy I used to hook up with.


Sorry for all the mistakes-I typed this on my phone. I too am on facebook. PM me for info.

Eta: I now work in direct care for people with developmental disabilities. I worked my way up the ladder here to the Program Manager level after two years, but after being constantly stressed out for a little over a year, I stepped down for health reasons. I love this job.
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Last edited by AbandonedDreams; January 24th, 2013 at 11:34 PM. Reason: forgot to add
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  #3  
Unread January 24th, 2013, 05:05 AM
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I'm E. I was with bbv for well over a decade as sm, multi store manager, dtsm, and fill in dm. I worked under about 10 different rdo's and the last one was by far the worst. I ran the most profitable store in my state and had about 10 of my employees move on to sm positions, but when I questioned a decision by the rdo I mysteriously had an"investigation" launched against me for something I did not do. I was subsequently let go as a result. I knew it was coming because I was the highest paid sm in my area and they were shedding payroll in the field, but to have my integrity questioned is what really bothered me. I have since moved on to a great company that is much more in line with my values, and I couldn't be happier with the way things ultimately turned out. I rarely posted here, but enjoyed coming here and getting the scoop on what was happening. I wish everyone the best

Edit to add: "E" is really how everyone knew me at bbv :-)
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Last edited by easy1234; January 24th, 2013 at 04:21 PM. Reason: addition
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  #4  
Unread January 24th, 2013, 07:12 AM
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Mike Bolin. Shelby, NC. From the Dirty South! I started working at Blockbuster around 2004 until my store closed in 2009. In my first year I went from a key holder to Sales Manager. I loved my job honestly. I just hated the bullshit the corporation tried to push on the employees and most importantly our customers. I'm currently back in college. I will finish up my Associate Degree in Fine Arts.. then transferring to a University to get work up to my Masters so I can teach Art or History on the college level.

I've been in and out of many Hardcore bands. As a singer(haha! More like growlers, screamer)

This one is from a couple years before I first started at the Block. This band is no longer active.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1fhP3XWXaU

I wont give you my personal FB. However, You can add my newly formed band at www.facebook.com/prevaricatormetal

Last edited by ClutztomerControl; January 24th, 2013 at 07:18 AM.
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  #5  
Unread January 24th, 2013, 07:23 AM
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Here is a cover tune I dedicate to BBI... by yours truly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26r9Ufn7-Xg
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Unread January 24th, 2013, 07:29 AM
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said it before I'm David Stovall from tampa, I worked at the store in south tampa for about 6 yrs and was then moved to another store was the asm for most of my tenure....and was finally done in by the racist cunt of a dm....may her barren uterus continue to be as hollow as her soul.
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Unread January 24th, 2013, 08:57 AM
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^ Thats me. Unmasked and Ugly as Ever!
  #8  
Unread January 24th, 2013, 01:17 PM
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Me and Unknown Hinson lol
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  #9  
Unread January 24th, 2013, 04:19 PM
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Hi Everyone, Although some of you know my name I will introduce myself to the rest of you, Im Cindy and I worked for Blockbuster for 10 years. I started to see that things werent going well right after Blockbuster filed for Bankruptcy. I discovered this site when I felt like I was going to scream and cry and needed support from people who understood what I was going through. Around that time my now husband encourged me to finish my education so I went back to school full time, it was an online situation but that turned out to be a wonderful thing. Graduated shortly after my store closed and now Im a Public relations rep and Im very happy. I now realize there was light at the end of the tunnel I just had to push myself a little to see it. Im sad to hear this place will close, it will always hold a special place in my heart.
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  #10  
Unread January 24th, 2013, 04:32 PM
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I am no one. Ill post a pic of one of my cars when I can.





But this is how I roll

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYnF...e_gdata_player
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Even the Devil, which is the main share holder of blockbuster is saying you guys are making me look bad!

Horse Power is how fast you hit the wall. Torque is how far you take the wall with you.

Last edited by Hot Head; January 24th, 2013 at 05:50 PM.
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