The variety of gems you could locate in Ma and Pa video stores was quite
impressive, even today when you have state of the art laser and DVD
transfers chock full of hours of frills. And yes, the bond between store
staff and customers ("the regulars") was encouraging.

But, having been involved in a family videostore  from 82 or 83 till
about 87 or 88 (when it went bust), let me simply say that all was not
roses; the sheer glut of such stores, the high price of product, scams
(such as some individuals renting cassettes from one store and
attempting to sell them to another shop), predacious VCRS (such a unit
could chew up an unwary cassette in seconds), customers who abused
either store property or employees....oh, the list of gripes goes on.
Chain and franchised videostores  did pound a stake through the heart of
many private businessess ...but the ravenous nature of such a service
industry, especially during the mid to late eighties , suggested that a
crowded market encouraged its own self destruction.
Jeff