In a surprising turn of events, residents of Marceline, Missouri were informed today of an unexpected addition to our beloved small town – a brand new Blockbuster Video store! The once-iconic video rental chain, long thought to be a relic of the past, has decided to make a miraculous comeback, starting in our quaint Midwestern town.
Locals rubbed their eyes in disbelief as they passed by the suddenly-built storefront on Main Street USA, adorned with the familiar blue and yellow Blockbuster signage. Many initially thought it was an elaborate prank orchestrated by some fun-loving citizens, but upon closer inspection, it became evident that this was no joke.
Word spread at the speed of a rewinding tape, and the entire town has been buzzing with excitement and nostalgia. Long-time residents reminisced about the days of browsing through aisles of VHS tapes and DVDs, while the younger generations have no idea what those people are talking about, or indeed, what a VHS tape is.
As news of the Marceline Blockbuster Video grand opening spread to Brookfield and beyond, it captured the attention of media outlets across the country. Reporters are headed to Marceline to get the scoop on this unexpected revival, speculating that Blockbuster chose Marceline for their unbelievable return from extinction because of the magic residents and visitors find when they come to visit.
Meanwhile, customers in the mid-40s and up, from as far away as Kansas City, St. Louis, and Hannibal are said to be on their way to Marceline to see if they can get a membership card with an out-of-area utility bill, then to pickup a few tapes – and hopefully a rental VCR – for this coming weekend’s entertainment. Again, youth are baffled by their parents excitement. They have been posting online that they’re just playing with their Nintendo Switch and smart phones until their reach their destination along historic Highway 36.
Decades ago, the “400 Tavern” was located on this Main Street USA lot, but it burned down and nothing took its place – until now. “The building went up pretty fast” said one Marceline resident when looking at the online photo. A long line has already formed at this brick-and-mortar location as eager patrons wait their turn to enter. Several customers shared their list of videos they hope still have copies available inside, including “Cocktail“,”Vanilla Sky“, and “Mission Impossible 4 – Ghost Protocol“, though MI4 came out 5 years after VHS tapes stopped being produced… and, this reporter has no idea why so many people like Tom Cruise. Store management said they expect to add DVDs to the inventory in coming years.
But, like other April Fools jokes, when the sun rises on April 2nd the lot will once again be empty. And while the Blockbuster Video store may have just been fleeting fun, there’s hope that people will share this silly story to help bring attention to Main Street USA, and Walt Disney’s hometown of Marceline, Missouri.
Oh and please, be kind… rewind.
