VideoSanctum.com Acquires Incredible Collection of VHS, Beta and Beyond from Former Video Rental and Retail Giant Audio/Video Plus! All Available for Purchase!! DIG IT!
Over the past few years (and then some), the advent of online forums and various other video-obsessed internet destinations have increased the ability to grab slabs of magnetic magic without leaving the comfort of your analog-filled abode. And though we here in Lunchmeat Land are perpetual proponents of the will to pull amazing finds from the wooly wild through sheer persistence and patience, it’s undeniable that the expansive VHS selection provided by the internet is pretty amazing, mang. One official analog-dealing entity that has come to the forefront of VHS collecting culture is an online destination called VideoSanctum.com. We interviewed these purveyors of home video vindication a while back discussing their multi-format rescue and release, and were recently made privy to a major score of magnetic magic (and more!) that is now being dealt back out to Tapeheads everywhere,straight from a historic video rental establishment, right into your VCR. So without any further analog ado, Tapeheads, here’s an exciting update from the rewind retailing crew over at VideoSanctum.com:
“Video Sanctum LLC, an exclusive online retailer of rare and out-of-print horror and exploitation films on retro video formats, has acquired the retail inventory and related archives from Audio/Video Plus (AVP), one of the longest standing video retail establishments in the US. The acquisition includes more than 100,000 items with uncirculated and factory-sealed horror VHS, Laserdisc and Beta stock available to video collectors worldwide on VideoSanctum.com.
AVP’s inventory comprises more than 30 years of cultural artifacts that tell the story of Houston’s premier retail video store. During its run, AVP maintained a rental library of more than 60,000 titles on a variety of formats. Many of the titles purchased by Video Sanctum were part of AVP’s original inventory from the late-70s through the mid-80s, at the height of the video retail and rental boom.
‘The AVP collection represents an entire history of the Video Era, from its start in the 1970s through its resurgence in today’s video collector community,” says Tayvis Dunnahoe, Video Sanctum founder and CEO. “After AVP shuttered in 2012, Video Sanctum set a goal to preserve one of the last remaining inventories of its kind, which is an important part of Houston’s film and cinema entertainment history. This vision is in line with Yale University’s recent acquisition of VHS titles for its permanent collection, the first university to actively collect video tapes and horror VHS as cultural artifacts. We are honored to be entrusted with this legacy collection and to make it available to the online video community we serve.’
‘This acquisition adds to an already extensive inventory of rare, collectible movie titles across all genres found on Video Sanctum’s website,” adds Nick Mendoza, Video Sanctum COO and site developer. “The AVP collection contains vintage and obscure horror and exploitation films that are featured as some of the scarcest and most collectible items found on our site.’
Founded in 1979 in Houston’s Montrose neighborhood, AVP evolved from a small local storefront to become one of the largest retailers in the US. By 1984, AVP was named the No. 1 video store in the country by Video Store magazine. Because of AVP’s leading status in the 1980s, earning more than $1.5 million in sales, the video retailer stood as one of the select few in the country to buy studio-direct.
Since 2010, Video Sanctum has developed relationships with collectors in more than 15 countries and continues to unveil some the rarest, highest quality conditioned tapes known to the video community. In 2014, Video Sanctum secured the distribution rights for Video Hunter’s Guide, which provides indices and realized values for more than 70,000 titles. Video Sanctum is an authorized dealer of original VHS cover artwork by Corey Wolfe, whose work appears on several iconic horror VHS releases such as Magnum Entertainment’s Drive-In Massacre, Vestron’s Chopping Mall and The Kindred."
This acquisition is pretty damn epic, Tapeheads. The act of preservation by Video Sanctum is undoubtedly admirable, but paired with offering the ability to take these historic chunks of home video excellence into your home, that’s just plain fantastic. Video Sanctum has already listed a sizeable portion of this mammoth score on their site, and they’re always adding more and more, so be sure to groove on over and peruse the multitude of magnetic magic (and other home video formats!) they’ve made available. You’re sure to find something that hits the VHSpot. They also have a groovy newsletter, and that’s the best dang way to stay analog updated on all of their listings and the upcoming sales and groovy giveaways they have planned for the near future. You don’t wanna miss that, right?! HELL NO, YOU DON’T! Below are some scans of the actual items you can receive from VS, still sealed and ready to be skinned for the ritual VCR sacrifice. Fresh to death BETA AND VHS! DIG IT!
Yes, indeed, my fellow, Tapeheads, that IS a sealed BETA BELL FROM HELL. Dizamn is right!
Some freshy-fresh Thriller slip action for your VHShelf, mang. Yup, they got it!
One of the most badass covers of all time, on BETA and sealed for your protection. YES.
More BETA action from Video Sanctum. This is where I wish I could call this VHSexy, but it's BETA. Still analog amazing, no doubt.
Oh, and just to further corroborate the fact that they’ve uncovered and made available one of the most incredible collections of home video out there, here’s a scan from the VS archives showing VIDEO STORE MAGAZINE’S coverage on AVP as the #1 video store in America circa 1984. Stay tuned to this here slice of analog-obsessed internet as we’ll be teaming up with Video Sanctum to help share the massive amount of rare home video catalogs, flyers, and the general communications of a video store circa 1979 through to the end of the era that they’ve acquired from AVP. It’s gonna be mad analog informative, mang.
The cover for VIDEO STORE MAGAZINE, scanned from the Video Sanctum Archives!
AUDIO/VIDEO PLUS (AVP) gets top rankings in VIDEO STORE. And all their remaining stock is now living on VideoSanctum.com - go peep it already, Videovores!
The AVP write-up continued, and a little snippet featuring CAMELOT MUSIC & VIDEO in Ohio. There's way more where this came from, Tapeheads. VHStay tuned!!
Groove and Groove and Dig on VHiStory.
Josh Schafer
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