SEATTLE — Scarecrow Video is one of the last video rental stores in the world. It's on the brink of closing unless a financial miracle happens soon.
"This is like Aladdin's cave; you walk into it, and it's just filled with treasure for everyone," said Kate Barr, the executive director of Scarecrow Video. "I fight for it every day. The reason why I'm working so hard and wearing all those many hats for 10 years is that I want everyone to have this experience."
Scarecrow Video has existed since 1983. With nearly 150,000 titles, it’s considered the largest video collection open to the public in the world.
“When you think about it as 148,000 different voices that are sharing their story through the years, then it puts it into more a cultural context,” said Barr.
Despite its vast collection, the operation has been on the decline due to the rise of streaming services. Barr said rentals and sales have decreased by 40% since 2015. While expenses spiked 25% in that same time frame. The nonprofit hopes to raise $1.8 million dollars by the end of the year to keep it from shutting down forever.
"A change in leadership, so that's a significant piece of it, the ability to continue to pay our existing staff a living wage, the ability to stay in such a large space," said Barr.
It's a space people rely on.
"It always keeps me guessing and then there's a surprise at the end and then we find out who done it, that kind of thing. So, I like these," said Vicky Downs, describing her favorite films.
Downs has been coming here for decades. She's seen the twists and turns this Seattle staple has endured and is now bracing for its potential end.
"I'm hoping it'll last for as long as I do,” said Downs.
For now, this storied space will continue to be.
"A collection like this doesn't exist anywhere else,” said Barr. “And why shouldn't Seattle be excited about a place that is one of a kind."
To help keep Scarecrow alive, staff ask people to continue coming to it and renting films. The public can also donate in person or online.
Barr said if Scarecrow does not reach its financial goal, it will go into "hibernation" as they come up with a plan. As far as the thousands of films are concerned, they’ll put them in a storage unit.