Massage Envy is
coming soon to a portion of the former Blockbuster video location on Foothill
Boulevard. Tenant improvements (T.I.s)
are still being made at the multi-tenant property, and we’d like to share with
you a cool find. Uncovered beneath the
former Blockbuster site’s interior veneer is brick and concrete siding painted with a Ford
logo.
The lettering is only partial, so
we’ll have to do a little digging in the archives to find out more. In the coming weeks, we hope to bring you
some details about the property’s history.
If you have any information that you’d like to share with us, we’d be
happy to hear from you by email planning@ci.monrovia.ca.us or phone (626)
932-5565.
Aside from Massage
Envy, a few vacancies still exist at the property, and we’ll keep you up to
date on those units as soon as we hear something.
Why Did Blockbuster
Leave Us?
O how the times
have changed. It seems only yesterday
that Blockbuster was the heavyweight champ of home entertainment. Having effortlessly put mom and pop
contenders and other national chains down on the canvas, Blockbuster looked to
be the unconquerable champion. However,
sticking (and moving) with our boxing analogy, Blockbuster didn't see the left
hook coming.
According to
legend, a man named Reed Hastings returned a late copy of Apollo 13 to his
local Blockbuster in 1997. He was assessed a $40 late fee in what was likely
the costliest charge of Blockbuster's existence. Two years later, the worm
turned and Mr. Hastings founded Netflix.
In 2000, Blockbuster reportedly had the opportunity to purchase Netflix
for $50 million, but passed. As Netflix gained more of a following and market
share increased, Blockbuster attempted to catch up with the mail order service
by copying pieces of the red envelope company's business model. In an attempt
to compete with another red colored company, Redbox, Blockbuster also ventured out
into the standalone kiosk model.
Dethroned by contenders such as Netflix and Redbox, the once complacent champ
has struggled to return to its former glory.
Fast forward to the
present, streaming media is the new frontier of home entertainment. The options
are plentiful and the competition is fierce.
Netflix, Amazon, Redbox, Roku, Hulu, and cable or satellite providers
offer thousands of options at your fingertips.
As for Blockbuster,
it was purchased by DISH in 2011. All remaining brick and mortar store
locations have been closed, with the exception of 50 locations nationwide. So why keep the 50 open? They're independently owned mom and pops with
no plans to call it quits.
