NORFOLK, Va. - A staple of the Ghent section of Norfolk announced that they will be closing at the end of this month.
"It's heartbreaking, truly heartbreaking. We have the history of film right here, and no one is taking advantage of it," said Carolyn Sail, longtime customer.
Naro Video, located at 1511 Colley Avenue, was established by its original owners in 1989. It was sold to Tim Cooper and Linda McGreevey in 1994, who maintained it until the non-profit was established in 2016.
"We have more than 40,000 videos - that's far more than Netflix that has about 5,000. This is one-of-a-kind stuff you can't find anywhere else," said Patrick Taylor, who's been the general manager of the store for 20 years.
Photo provided by narovideo.org
The closing announcement made on Sunday stated that the Library's last day to rent will be August 18, and the last day open to the public will be August 25 with a farewell celebration.
Taylor said the store has been able to stay in business due to the Ghent community, arts community and avid movie lovers.
"But, now it's all about streaming, and we can't compete with that; we can't pay our employees and pay the rent," Taylor said.
Taylor says Naro is the only VHS and DVD collector of its size left in the state. Located in the heart of Ghent, the non-profit has the largest independent collection of rental films on the East Coast.
"It's nostalgic; so many memories have been created here. I've so enjoyed helping people after all these years," Taylor stated.
The Library will also have Naro Video merchandise and DVD/Blu-Rays for sale at the event to cover the remaining expenses.
The non-profit library holds more than 42,000 unique titles and fulfilled a goal of promoting physical media preservation and enthusiasm for film history.
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However, Naro Video stands for so much more than film appreciation.
The Norfolk staple accomplished various other things in the community, such as securing a non-profit status, providing programming and outreach to The Muse Writers Center and Blair Middle School, establishing a group of community volunteers that help coordinate events and fundraisers and so much more.
If you have any questions or concerns, contact the store via email at NaroExpandedVideo@gmail.com.
