Hastings and The Influence it Had on My Life

It’s a store that is now a thing of the past but when it was still open it served a purpose that lives on for generations. That is something you can see in a place like Hastings Entertainment when every store was still fully operational and we had a place to go rent DVDs or buy something to add to your CD or book collection. What I remember about the place is the one in my hometown that had a coffee shop called the Hardback Cafe which served mochas and hot chocolate along with the average morning coffee to get the day started in a good way. Something I have in my memory of Hastings is taking back the rentals that we got and usually had for a two or three day period and dropping them in a slot in the parking lot similar to what you drop mail into when you go to the post office.

The chain was originally founded in Amarillo which I find to be interesting because the company is local with where I am located which means I am sort of contributing to the local community as I am sure the money I spend on goods and services possibly goes to help local events and people. This is good news for the economy in a local city in that it brings improvements around town. Hastings was always there when I wanted to buy that new album on the market when it was only available at certain places. With the streaming platforms of today you have that already at your fingertips and this is what challenged this retailer and others like it that allowed you to rent physical media in a disk or tape format in earlier years.

In the early to mid 2010s competition grew in the online world and before long the stores that sold tangible media began phasing out and closing doors. By the end of 2015 the end of Hastings came about through liquidation and selling of properties nationwide. Going inside you would find very slim selections and the merchandise would increase the percentage margin as time went on in an effort to make a profit while still in business. By the late 2010s and early 2020s decade the physical video store has been replaced with smart TV streaming on apps. Many big box retail giants like Walmart and Best Buy would enhance the streaming technology with both companies releasing apps for movies and TV shows.

Goodbye Hastings. You will forever be remembered in my heart.

-Tristan