ASHWAUBENON (NBC26) — Aleane Henquinet has worked at Family Video for 17 years.
“It’s my first and only adult job," she said. "I started it right after high school and I’ve been here ever since."
Working behind the counter at multiple locations, this is her second store closing within the last three months.
“Every time we do a store closing I’m always like, ‘oh no not another one,'" said Henquinet. “It’s going to be sad when there isn’t any more of us left.”
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic to now, Family Video, one of the last-standing video-rental chains, has been in the process of closing around 200 of its stores. Last Tuesday, the chain announced it would be closing its 2271 True Lane location in Ashwaubenon, liquidating the store and selling everything at a discount from movies and games to store fixtures like shelves and racks.
Online services like Amazon, Netflix and Hulu have been putting stores like Family Video out of business for years, said Henquinet. However, many customers, like Veronica Johnson, still like to come and get their movies in-person.
“Kind of make me sad because you know, say for instance where I live at if they don’t have a video, I usually shoot over here to get it," said Johnson. "So now I have to go somewhere else to get a video that I would like to watch.”
Johnson will miss the workers the most, she said.
“They’re very friendly, they help you out, and so missing their faces," she said.
Henquinet will miss the customers too, she said.
“It’s more about the customers than the movies," she said. "The movies are great, but it’s really the customers that keep me going at the stores.”
The store's last day will be December 20th, unless everything is gone before then.
The location is also available for lease or purchase. Contact Mike Kohne, mike.kohne@legacypro.com for more information.
