That’s a wrap: That’s Entertainment set to close after three decades
For 33 years, That’s Entertainment was the place in St. Catharines where you could go to pick up a copy of your favourite movie, from a collection of more than 15,000 titles.
Now, the largest independent video store in the Niagara region is closing its doors for good.
It is slated to close at the end of June.
Greg Switzer has been general manager at the store for 20 years, and started working there when he was in high school in 1989, the year the store opened at 353 Lake St.
“The pandemic is really what did it,” he said of the store shutting down. “We were doing pretty well up until that point.”
A “going out of the business” sale features 10 per cent off everything in the store, with plans for more discounts and sales in the coming weeks.
The store is one of the last of its kind, offering physical copies of movies and TV shows in the region. Most video stores followed suit with Blockbuster in the early to mid-2010s, closing down with the rise of digital video-on-demand and streaming services, most notably Netflix.
Switzer credits the store’s ability to stay around for this long to a diverse collection of movies and TV shows.
“We’re the last of the super video stores,” he said. “We brought in movies that a lot of stores would not bring in.”
At That’s Entertainment, he said, customers could come in and not only pick up a DVD for movie night, they could get recommendations on new films to watch, and connect with fans of beloved franchises. Over the years, it expanded its selection to include used movies, video games, music CDs and collectible items such as Funko Pops.
“It’s nice to find a place where you can talk about whatever your passion is, whatever your fandom is, with, hopefully, staff that understand what you like and can make some recommendations for you,” he said.
Since announcing the closure, Switzer said it’s been heartwarming to see an outpouring of support from people on social media, longtime customers and former employees, of which there have been nearly 900 over the years.
“A lot of people, we gave them their first jobs,” he said. “We had people go on to become doctors and lawyers and teachers ... in a way, they’re all my kids, too.”
He remembers being in that same place when the store opened, as a teenager who needed an afterschool job. In those 33 years, he said what he’s learned most is that while things in life will never be completely easy, it’s all about adapting.
“Hard work is rewarded and hard work is, unfortunately, necessary,” he said.
“We’d like it to be easy, but it’s not. You just kind of have to roll with the punches and keep going.”
Switzer plans to get a job with one of the neighbouring businesses the owners operate, either Pay2Day or The Vapor Shoppe.
In the meantime, his focus, along with his staff, is on getting ready for the big closure.
“It’s going to be difficult,” he said. “Right now, it’s just kind of busy ... when it gets close (to closing), it’ll get a little bit more emotional.”
‘‘ The pandemic is really what did it. We were doing pretty well up until that point.
GREG SWITZER GENERAL MANAGER