We’re not
telling you anything new when we say we live in a digital world. We email
instead of writing letters. We text instead of making a phone call. And we
watch movies via streaming rather than going to the local video store. In fact
there really aren’t any local video stores any more. That’s what makes Eddie
Brandt’s Saturday Matinee in Burbank, California, adjacent North Hollywood
extra special.
Besides a random mom and pop shop and the last few free standing Blockbuster stores, there aren’t a lot of options to pick up a DVD. Some supermarkets have Redbox machines where you can grab a flick for $1. And of course, you can order discs from Netflix, but by the time they show up, you usually forgot you had once had any desire to see the documentary about the typeface Helvetica.
That’s why
Eddie Brandt’s Saturday Matinee is such a special place. The secret pleasure of
many locals has DVD’s and videotapes, and their selection goes far beyond the
commercial options of big budget, studio movies like Avatar. Anyone looking for a rare find, should get Brandt’s on the
phone ASAP.
So we had a
heavy heart when we heard the news this week that the Eddie Brandt had passed
away. It never occurred to us that Brandt was a real guy. In our mind he was a Burger
King-like figurehead. But it turns out that the man behind the video store was
a writer, cartoonist and composer. He worked for Hanna-Barbera and played the
piano for the likes of Spike Jones. Brandt was also a collector – hence the
wide selection of movie posters, production stills and lobby cards that are
also available at the store.
Sadly he died on February 20 from colon cancer at the age of 89. His wife Claire and son Donovan have been minding the store for the last few years and we can only hope they’ll continue to do so. Eddie Brandt’s may be a local treasure, but it stands as a shining example of small business in an ever-changing landscape.
If you live
in the Los Angeles area, visit Eddie Brandt’s Saturday Matinee at 5006 Vineland Avenue in North
Hollywood, California 91601.
For more pop culture stories read:
No comments:
Post a Comment