OF the last three video shop chain stores left in greater Sydney at February this year, another two have closed - Video Ezy Mount Druitt and Network Video Mortdale, leaving only Civic Video Windsor still standing.
At the end of June 2018 when Civic Video Head Office closed, it left behind 13 Civic stores still trading - 11 in Australia and two in New Zealand.
According to the owner of Civic Video Windsor, Guirong Wu, both the Hastings and Auckland, New Zealand stores closed in January this year.
In Australia, Mr Wu said many Civic stores closed their doors in quick succession after the head office closure.
Civic Video Andergrove, Queensland closed in August 2018. Civic Video Shellhabour, NSW closed in September 2018.
In 2019, Western Australia's Bunbury shut in January, followed by Esperance in May.
South Australia's last Civic Video store in Paralowie closed in February.
Queensland's Gladstone closed in February, followed by Nambour in March.
The last Blockbuster video store in Australia at Morley, Western Australia, closed its doors in March this year.
At time of writing, there were four Civic Video stores left in the country, two of which - according to Mr Wu - are in the process of closing, at Bowen in Queensland and Frankston in Victoria.
This leaves one Civic Video chain store left in Queensland, in Bowen, as well as the Hawkesbury's own store in Windsor.
There is one other video hire store still trading in Sydney - an independent called Film Club in Darlinghurst.
Mr Wu said he thought it would only be a matter of years until he was the last video shop left trading in Australia.
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Civic Video Windsor is located at the carpark end of the Old Post Office Arcade, off Windsor Mall, Windsor. It is open seven days a week.
According to Mr Wu, the top five films to hire this month are Captain Marvel, The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part, A Dog's Way Home, Five Feet Apart, and King of Thieves.
Brand new in store are Shazam!, Fighting with My Family, Trading Paint, The Shanghai Job, Pet Sematary, Us, Wonder Park, and Dumbo.
This month, Mr Wu is digging the new releases Papillon, and The Sisters Brothers.
His favourite blast from the past is Moneyball, a 2011 sport drama starring Brad Pitt.
All are available on DVD in store. Call 4587 7130 for details. The store runs weekly movie hire deals, and also sells ex-rentals.
Mr Wu was asked to participate in a television documentary. Watch this space.
