A new video store is opening its doors in South Philadelphia, stocked with thousands of VHS tapes, DVDs, Blu-rays and even LaserDiscs for rent and sale. Little Movie Store, located at South 10th and McKean streets, holds its grand opening Saturday at noon, giving neighborhood movie lovers a brick-and-mortar alternative to scrolling through a streaming menu.
The shop is the brainchild of owner Dylan Wise, who according to CBS Philadelphia was inspired to open his own store after visiting a movie rental shop in Oregon. Wise and his wife Keri wanted a place in their own neighborhood, according to Audacy, and he has said that trip specifically included a stop at Movie Madness, a well-known Oregon video store, as part of what sparked the idea.
Wise spent 2025 compiling thousands of VHS tapes and DVDs for the shop, according to CBS Philadelphia, and the collection’s exact size depends on which account you read. Audacy reports the store has about 17,000 movies, including DVDs, 4K Blu-rays, VHS tapes and 70 LaserDiscs, while PhillyVoice has reported the rental library tops 20,000 titles, with roughly 7,000 expected on display when the doors open, per PhillyVoice. Either way, shoppers will find familiar titles like Titanic and Obsession on the shelves, per CBS Philadelphia.
How Membership Works
Renting from Little Movie Store requires an annual membership, priced at $160, that lets members check out up to three titles at a time with no extra rental fees, the same PhillyVoice report notes. The arrangement echoes an old-school model, with Audacy describing the setup as similar to Blockbuster’s membership-based rentals. WhatNow reports that members can keep each movie for up to 14 days before swapping it for something new, and also receive discounts on purchases and a free birthday movie, according to WhatNow…