VHS revival brings new life to Sacramento's video store scene

A resurgence in VHS tapes and physical media is breathing new life into a format many thought was gone for good.

One Sacramento business owner has already turned that renewed interest into a thriving video store, while others hope to follow in his footsteps.

With the flip of a light switch and the familiar clunk of a VHS tape sliding into a VCR, memories come rushing back for many collectors and movie lovers.

"I would always be renting the same movies over and over," said Tony Swan, owner of My Cat's VHS. "Most of the time it would be wrestling, sometimes it would be comedies or animated movies."

For Swan, those childhood memories never faded. After spending nearly a decade selling VHS tapes online, he recently opened My Cat's VHS, Sacramento's first new video store in years. 

The shop is located at 2011 P St., Suite 10, in Sacramento.

What started as a personal collection has grown into a successful business.

"February I got to 1,000 sales, and now I'm at 4,700 sold," Swan said.

The growth is being driven in part by Millennials and Gen Z consumers who have grown weary of streaming services and digital-only entertainment.

"A lot of people are getting back into physical media again, so it's very exciting that we have this store here," said VHS collector Alexia Helenske-Oakes. "I've been here probably once a week since it opened, if not more."

Swan isn't the only one noticing the demand.

Across town, Chris Emery and Jefferson Miller are working to launch their own shop, called Very Good Video Store. Inside a garage packed with VHS tapes and other media, the pair is building the inventory they hope will fill store shelves when they open later this year.

"It's just something we've been missing," Miller said. "We've noticed online tons of people are saying, 'I wish there was still a video store in my area,' so we decided, let's do it."

The duo plans to launch a Kickstarter campaign soon to help get the business off the ground and bring the store to life.

"I think some of the people we talk to have been a little shocked by the idea of having something that went away, that you could say was extinct," Emery said.

In an era where thousands of movies are available with a click, many collectors still enjoy the experience of browsing shelves and discovering titles in person.

"I grew up with VHS, so it's just part of my childhood," Helenske-Oakes said. "I think it's a nostalgia thing."

For Swan, the appeal goes beyond nostalgia.

"It's a format that brings warmth and comfort," he said.

For a growing number of collectors across Sacramento, that comfort is worth hitting the play button again.