Happy Bats Cinema: The Best Vancouver Video Store Ever
I was looking back through some of my posts and I discovered that I had never related my story about why I love the Happy Bats Cinema video store. They have done a lot for the local film community (and Buffy fanatics like me) and they have earned every ounce of this well deserved recognition.
Back in early 2005 we were sitting around complaining that our local video store sucked the big one. We had been using that particular store for some time and loathed each time we passed through their doors. The service was acceptable but the selection was crappy and the prices kept going up every few months without an explanation of what we were getting for our rental money. It was a video store where video store clerks went to die.
One day, I wanted to check out The Stand mini-series. I remember having watched it back when it was on television (was that really 1994?) but I had missed some of those multi-night viewings and wanted to see the whole thing front to back. Off we went to rent it. Three hours later, four video stores and a bunch of wasted gas – not one store had it. We couldn’t even buy the damn thing! I asked at each store if they would ever get it in or if I could order it and each said no. Block Buster said it was “too old”. Some video store I can’t remember the name of on Commercial Drive said the film was terrible. I didn’t care. I wanted to see the mini-series. It had become a quest and I was beginning to feel that I was about to strike out. We had failed to find it that day but we had no idea what was about to happen.
A day or so after our marathon search of video stores (that were within a reasonable distance from our home) we were driving home down Main Street and Allyson pointed out the car window.
“Look! A video store! Stop!”
The sandwich board on the corner of Main Street and 15th Avenue read:
“Happy Bats Cinema – Video Rentals”
I practically slammed on the brakes and stopped in the middle of Main Street. I turned the car around. There it was, right near the corner of the block and shining like a beacon of hope. We hadn’t seen their sign before (as we pass that corner almost every day) and we were so desperate by this point we were willing to try almost any video store we could locate. I parked the car and headed to the front door. We opened the door and walked up to the desk in the back. I marched up to the counter and, in my usual brisk tone, asked:
“Do you have The Stand? The Stephen King mini-series?”
He smiled.
“Nope.”
I was crushed. I was beginning to think that rentals were a dying art and that finding a store worth visiting was futile. I must have looked sad at his response. We decided to check the stacks and see what kinds of films they had. We browsed for about fifteen seconds before the guy behind the counter (who I now know is the owner/partner of the store) said:
“Oh, hey, we’ll have it in on Tuesday, though.”
“The Stand? Two days from now?”
“Yah, I just ordered it.”
I couldn’t believe it. I was floored. Considering all of the slack-jawed yokels we’d encountered in the few days prior it was refreshing to find a store that cared a little about what I wanted to see. Two days later, we watched the series and were elated to return it on time! I mean, really, how many times have you really wanted to get those videos back on time.
It has been a few years since that first visit and we’ve never gone any place else. Happy Bats Cinema – you guys are amazing. And, of course, I am now a Whedon fan and have attended a couple Buffy Sing-A-Longs and you guys are even more awesome for putting those kinds of events on. Keep it up because you are unique in Vancouver.
That is my experience. If you read my blog on a regular basis you will note that I complain about bad service from various companies when I get grumpy. Happy Bats Cinema is one of those places that makes me feel lucky to have it in my neck of the woods. I truly thank you guys for keeping us knee-deep in films and for providing a great collection of flicks. I think I need to head on over this weekend and check out the Criterion Collection.
