The Video Vault is closing.

*Washington**, D.C.**’s Video Vault
Closing Doors For Good **After 25 Years*

I'm writing to share some sad news. After 25 years as a mainstay in Old Town
Alexandria and among movie-lovers and wackos nationwide,* Video Vault* will
soon be* finis*,* kaput*, closed forever.
What happened? Well, the story of packaged media (movies, but also music and
maybe books) is simple: It's all about* digits*. Too many digital downloads,
too many digits on that rent check.  My wife Jane and I always believed in
the value of good advice and customer service. In tough times, low cost and
convenience trump all that.
We haven't had any time to really look back over the 25 years, but we did
scrape up some of our favorite news articles about the Vault. Sorry to say,
the* National Enquirer* piece isn't available online, neither are the
*Entertainment
Weekly *or *Wall Street Journal*, but here's some stuff that helps tell our
story, a kind of virtual press kit:
   - Finding VHS in a DVD
World<http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/17/AR2006081701343.html>-
2006 -
   washingtonpost.com
   - Movie 'Turkeys' Run Free at Specialty Video
Store<http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=266&dat=19900724&id=sfQrAAAAIBAJ&sjid=M2oFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1684,2204079>-
1990 - Associated Press
   - Thrillers Are Treasure at Alexandria's
Vault<http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost/access/73799927.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Feb+27%2C+1987&author=Luis+Aguilar&pub=The+Washington+Post+%28pre-1997+Fulltext%29&edition=&startpage=n.09&desc=Thrillers+Are+Treasure+At+Alexandria%27s+Vault>-
1987 -
   washingtonpost.com
   - Treasures in Relocated
Vault<http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1P2-932244.html>- 1993 -
Washington Post (preview)
   - Best Place to Rent Bad
Movies<http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/bestof/2008/goodsandservices/show.php?id=35341>-
2008 - Washington City Paper
   - Vault About to Burst <http://www.bmonster.com/feb2002.shtml> - 2002 -
   The Astounding B Monster
   - Video Vault
Uncovered<http://mason.gmu.edu/~jdeleon/comm361/vault/main.html>-
Multimedia fansite about Video Vault
My wife Jane and I will be around the store until the end, telling our story
and selling off everything that will fit through the door, especially our
collection of 65,000 movie titles, ranging in quality from the great to the
good to the God-awful! Many titles in our inventory are impossible to find
elsewhere - we've prided ourselves on selection that no chain and no other
mom & pop store could beat.
Our* GOING OUT OF VIDNESS* sale starts today and runs until April 30. Come
see us, you never know what amusing title, anecdote, or graphic art might be
fodder for your reporting.
I'm in the store from 11-6 nearly every day. You can reach me at
703-549-8848. I'd love to hear from you, and tell a few stories, and yes,
get some more folks in the store at least one more time.

Support independent retail!
Jim