Stadium Video & More

I miss this place! I used to find just about everything I could ever want to rent there! I wish it was still here I would have loved to bring my son.

CLOSED.
Stadium Video was pretty awesome back in the days before this whole ‘internet’ thing came along; I’m kinda surprised that the store managed to stay in business as long as it did. Like many Tacomans, though, I am guilty of supporting this business only in principle (personally, I haven’t rented from any video store in over 10 years– though I did buy a few used items here).
The fact that Stadium specialized in hard to find (often out of print), foreign, cult, and obscure titles rather than stocking hundreds of copies of the newest six big-​budget Hollywood movies helped it to develop and maintain a loyal customer base. This small, dark, and musty dungeon of a video store did manage to outlast its larger, brighter, and air conditioned rivals (Hollywood and Blockbuster)– but it was finally outdone by the super-​cheap and ubiquitous RedBox and the innumerable movie (renting, buying, downloading, streaming…) options available online.
Sorry to see another unique and independent Tacoma business bite the dust.

: «I haven’t lived in that area for a couple years, but if I ever rented movies in tacoma I went there, the staff was always fun to talk to and were helpful as can be. I remember living off of Carr st. And would walk there with my roommates all the time and rent movies. Had some great memories from there. I’m so pissed and sad this is happening, this sucks. Always thought it would stay open cause they had movies u can’t get at a stupid redbox or on demand, true movie fans will miss this. I wish you guys all the luck in the world and thanks for being a great place»

Great milieu for the cult film buff! Their selection is pretty good, and the staff are well-​versed in cult/​foreign films.

With all the redboxes around these days it’s hard to make myself walk the, gasp, four blocks to Stadium Video. But I’m never disappointed. They always have what I want, weird movies and all. In fact, this would be the best place to get movies you can’t find anywhere else. The staff knows everything about movies, the late charges aren’t much (which is great for airheads and late returners like me) and they’re open late. Success.

Best video rental in tacoma! Not QUITE as good as scarecrow in Seattle, but the closest thing tacoma has to offer!

No question that this is the best place to rent movies in Tacoma. I walk down there at least once a week to pick up a movie and even though the place is small, they always have what I’m looking for. Always.
I also happen to be one of those people who forgets to bring movies back on time, pretty much every time, and they are always friendly about it and only charge $ 0.50 a day for old movies and $ 1.00 a day for new releases for late fees which is awesome! I lost a movie in my apartment for over a week and brought it back and it was like $ 3.50 for the late fee. Blockbuster or Hollywood would have charged at least $ 8.00, those bastards.
They have a crazy awesome selection of hard to find independent and foreign films and they are happy to recommend something to you if you’re not sure what you’re in the mood for. They also always seem to have great movies playing on the TVs around the store and I have based many of my rental choices simply on what the person behind the counter decided they wanted to watch that evening.
Definitely check this place out and support a small locally owned business!

I really love this place… Unfortunately, Netflix stole my business. However, that said, I know many people still prefer the convenience of being able to browse actual movies and pick up candy and popcorn and such in one trip, so if that is you, try these folks out. Blockbuster has gone face down in the world of movie rentals, and it doesn’t look like they’re ever going to flip that ship upright again. Even if they did, the staff here is friendly, total movie nerds, and you arent going to get hit with a dollar a day late fee. Again, I’m long since spoiled on the infinite selection of the online realm, but when you’re looking to grab a movie really quick, drive right on by that blue and yellow movie ticket sign and head here. Support your local businesses!
**Please note that I worked for and still love Blockbuster, but they are just not what they used to be.**

Video Stores have always been a place of wonder and delight for me, I have probably spent more time in video stores walking up and down each aisle than I spent in college. To me, picking up a movie and reading the description is a high that no Netflix can tarnish.
I am so very glad that Stadium Video exists. Without it, my eyebrows, constantly furrowed by the dismal selections at other video stores, would become cro-​magnesque.
Stadium Video constantly surprises me and boyfriend the guy who knows all movies. It has the bootleg Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story. Which is RIDICULOUSLY hard to find.
I have two complaints though:
ONE: WHY DON’T YOU HAVE A TELEVISION SECTION???
I understand that it’s splattered within genres, but if I want a tv marathon, I sometimes DON’T KNOW WHAT SHOW I WANT TO WATCH. I just know I want it to be a television show. Which makes it REALLY difficult to sift through.
TWO: Please get more documentary/​educational stuff. Just cus It’s fun to watch NOVA sometimes.

Best video rental shop in T-​town.

At the risk of pissing off the awesome staff at Stadium, I cannot help but refer to them as the «Scarecrow Video of Tacoma». I mean this in the best way — but when you’re unique, maybe you don’t like comparisons for description.
The comparison is shorthand for «excellent, unusual selections with an emphasis on film as art first, commerce second.» You will find the big hits… but you can get those anywhere. The real highlights are the deep selections of documentaries, animé, independent and cutting edge film. The majority of the back room is devoted to foreign film divided by country.
Also worth noting is their large selection of Criterion films, a nice kids section, thoughtful employee picks on a handy board and a monthly theme area right inside the door — this can really help you when you blank out & can’t think of anything to rent. The majority of staff has been here for a long time and they are individually passionate about certain genres. They’ll take it as a personal challenge if you can’t remember the name of a film you seek.
On the downside: some titles stay in the «New Release» section for a LONG time — thus commanding a higher rental fee. Also, Stadium is underneath the Harvester, and seems to perpetually have buckets placed throughout the store for the occasional drips.
Worth noting: if you go on movie binges from time to time (as I do more than I care to admit), you can rent two films at full price and get the rest of your selections for 99 cents each.

I’ve been going to Stadium Video for almost ten years now.
This place is absolutely amazing — my loyalty for this video store will never falter. In ten years I have never checked out a video from any other place but the public library.
The place just has this amazing aura about it. The posters devoted to hundreds of cut up Blockbuster, Hollywood Video, and other assorted cards are an especially nice touch and a big fat finger to all of those monstrous corporations.
The employees are all amazing, super friendly, and knowledgeable.
My friends and I constantly walk in here and just flat-​out ask them what doesn’t suck right now.
They always have amazing recommendations and I’m yet to be disappointed. I love Stadium Video.

The hands-​down, absolute best video rental store I have ever been to. Beats the heck out of Blockbuster and Hollywood Video. This place has close to ever film every film ever made — new releases, musicals, foreign, criterian collection, strange sci-​fi, bad zombie movies, you name it, it’s probably there. In order to get a member card you have to prove your residency so be sure to bring a piece of mail with your name on it, because the staff guards these films with their lives. But they are also very helpful, nice, and knowlegeable about movies. It’s a hole-​in-​the-​wall for sure, but I have been renting movies here for a good three years and have never been disappointed.