GREENEVILLE, Tenn. (WJHL) — After 40 years serving the Greeneville community, Popcorn Video will close its doors next week.
The beloved Tri-Cities business was the last of its kind in the Tri-Cities, according to Manager Donna Lynch.
Lynch has been working at the store for over 30 years.
“I know people will miss us, and we will miss them,” Lynch said. “We’ve been able to adapt to technological changes in the industry for a long time because we stayed current, but with digital it’s just hard to compete.”
Lynch said it’s the people in the community that kept the store open as long as it had been. John Hope said he’s been coming since it opened.
“I do like to rent movies, but I don’t like to rent them from those little boxes,” Hope said. “I like to have a personal touch.”
“We would see hundreds of people in a day,” Lynch said. “Through the years, I mean I know that our database has over 20,000 customers in it. So, we’ve seen a lot of people come through the doors.”
The closing of the store also marks the end of an era for owner Richard Scull. Greeneville was the company’s last remaining location after other stores in Sevierville and Newport closed down.
“This has been a wonderful place to rent movies, to meet people, to know people,” Scull said. “It’s just been incredible. It really has.”
Longtime customers of Popcorn Video will be able to browse the shelves one last time at the closing sale next week, which will begin at 10 a.m. on Monday.
