The other day, I was preparing to check my email when a headline on Yahoo!’s homepage caught my eye: Tough Times for Blockbuster. As a fan of Blockbuster’s, I felt compelled to learn why so many of its beloved stores (between 810 and 960!) were closing. As it turns out, several of its stores were becoming unprofitable money pits, no doubt due partly to the success of online rental goliath Netflix and newcomer Red Box—the rental box company taking the nation by storm.
Needless to say, Blockbuster has had to implement several changes necessary to stay competitive in this ever-changing market. Like Netflix, Blockbuster has launched an online, mail-service component. Blockbuster has even started distributing rental box dispensers much like Red Box. The question remains: is this too little too late for the former movie rental giant?
What does this have to do with real estate?
The Blockbuster Saga illustrates how important it is for real estate professionals and investors alike to stay on top of current trends and innovations in the real estate realm.
Joshua Dorkin
