Jumbo Video is back as two Belleville residents share their movie passion

By Jordan Mills

BELLEVILLE – Two Belleville residents want their new downtown business to be more than a nostalgic memory and to provide a physical place for all movie lovers to enjoy.

Jumbo Video, an old-fashioned movie-rental shop with the name of an old franchise that’s no longer around, opened last Thursday at 318 Front St. Owners Bill Lucas and Nigel Hartwell, who both work in the film and television industry, say they want to give an alternative to people who are fed up with relying on the overwhelming number of streaming services to watch movies and TV shows.

There are so many streaming providers out there, each one with its own package and additional costs, that paying for access to a full library of shows adds up quickly, Lucas said.

“We find video streaming now is starting to become like cable,” he told QNet News Wednesday. “You’re now paying more, more and more, but are getting less, less and less.”

Lucas said that everyone has had the same experience as him, where you sit down to watch something to stream and can’t find anything.

 

He and Hartwell had been talking about opening a business together for around a year, he said. Initially they discussed more of a novelty shop with a focus on collectibles, similar to a mini-Fan Expo. But when an opportunity to purchase a video store’s stock emerged, they decided to switch their focus to video rental.

The new Jumbo Video has services besides movie rentals, including a a space in the back that Lucas and Hartwell use to film commercials and music videos.

With people getting used to life post-COVID, Lucas said, he expects people to want to start socializing again rather than being cooped up in their homes. The store will provide that place for people to gather and discuss their love of movies, and bring a sense of nostalgia to the customers, he said.

“People just need that social interaction. They need to be able to pick up something and hold on to it. So I think that’s also a good selling factor when it comes to the rental side.”

Lucas grew up at a time when renting a movie from the store was an occasion, and said he wants to recreate that, with the store even featuring a popcorn machine with free popcorn for customers. While the store was conceived to be geared toward his Gen X-Gen Y generation, it turns out people form all demographics are visiting, he said. The younger generation are more into the collectible and memorabilia side of things, such as signed posters and figurines, then video rental, he added.

“We have stuff that the streaming services don’t,” said Lucas. “Old movies, classics, the stuff that people go back and watch again because they remember those things. So there’s a bit of nostalgia in that.”

While the shop has been open for just a short time, business has been good so far, Lucas said.

Interacting with people who are fellow movie lovers is one of his favourite things to do, and seeing people leave with a smile is a great additional perk, he said.