Gaston County’s lone Blockbuster store will be shutting its doors at the end of this month.
The store on East Franklin Boulevard in Gastonia will start liquidating the store Monday, according to store manager Jeff Callan. The last day of business for the store will be May 31.
Callan tells me he’s been manager of the Gastonia Blockbuster for four years. About eight people work there.
The building was constructed in 1990, according to Gaston County property records. WJB Realty, Blockbuster’s real estate arm, bought the 0.85 acre piece of property in 1989 from Larry Parks and others. WJB Realty transferred the property to BBI Operating LLC on July 30, 2012.
Callan said Blockbuster sold the building, but he wasn’t sure when.
Dish Network purchased Blockbuster in 2011 after Blockbuster declared bankruptcy. The company has been closing stores, but the Gastonia location managed to hang on, until now.
“We gave it a valiant fight,” Callan said.
Callan didn’t think daily movie rental companies like Redbox, which allow people to rent movies a day at a time for $1.25 plus tax, hurt the business. Callan said Blockbuster had newer content first.
I called and emailed Dish Network’s press office, but never heard back.