Pointe-Claire Vido Club closing its doors after 36 years

After 36 years, two expansions, and a whole lot of rented movies, the Pointe-Claire Vido Club is closing its doors on Tuesday.

The end, though bittersweet, was expected for store's co-owner.

"I think the writing's been on the wall for a few years," said Peter La Gamba."It's kind of hard to compete against the internet."

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For last five years, La Gamba has watched as illegal streaming, and later cheaper services like Netflix, took away his customers one by one.

"People started getting movies before we were getting them, so that started it," La Gamba said.

Though the Pointe-Claire Vido Club held out much longer than rivalbig-box video stores like Blockbuster, La Gamba said it couldn't do so any longer.

"The numbers weren'tadding up anymore," he said, despite cutting staff,movie selections, and other goods.

Four weeks ago, the decision was made.

"We stayed open until basically the last day. Now we're in the process of liquidating," he said.

More than a video store

A whole generation of Pointe-Claire residents grew up with the video club.

La Gamba took over the rental store in 1980 and bought it from his friends withtwo brothers-in law in 1983. For the next 33 year, La Gamba ran the store with hissister.

It's kind of hard to let go... customers were friends more than anything else.- Peter La Gamba, Pointe-ClaireVido Club co-owner

The 500 square foot store located inPlaza Pointe-Claire moved to a localeover three times that size just a few years later, until in 1995 when an entirely new second floor was built in the mall to accommodate a 6,000 square foot entertainment megastore employing over a dozen people.

"Once we did the expansion, business really took off," La Gamba said.

And business was personal for La Gamba.

"A lot of our customers were telling us 'we hope you guys stay open,'" he said."It's kind of hard to let go."

"Customers were friends more than anything else."

With just two days left until closing, the video store's most loyal customers are still hoping La Gamba will reconsider.

But this weekend,La Gamba found himself with his wife and daughter packing up to vacate the locale by Friday.

"To me it meant a lot. It was a way of working for myself, it was fun," La Gamba reminisced.But, he added, "it's time to pack it up. It's sad."

La Gamba said he wasn't sure what was next for him, but the longtime video store co-owner maintained a sense of peace.

"You know what they say, when a door closes another door opens."