Physical Media Is Alive And Well At The Opening Of Brooklyn's NIGHT OWL VIDEO!

“Standing in Line in New York City” could be the title of someone’s autobiography.  It’s something most New Yorkers have done at one point or another for the opening of a new restaurant, museum exhibit, or a pop-up.  Saturday Night Live even made a video recently about how you can waste a day waiting for something mediocre.  Thankfully, the line outside of Night Owl Video was short and worth every second and more.

Williamsburg, Brooklyn’s latest store for physical media doesn’t open to the public until April 11, Macabre Daily was there this past Saturday for its soft opening. Allegedly several hundred people  RSVP’d and came out in droves.  There was supposed to be a prize wheel that customers could spin, but they obviously didn’t have room.  It’s a great problem to have.

Much like Vinegar Syndrome's flagship store, The Archive, Night Owl sells a bevy of goods, including blu rays, 4Ks, DVDs, jigsaw puzzles, books, and yes, VHS tapes.  They also sell candles from local cinema-loving candle makers Mis en Scént and their indie neighbors, Oscilloscope.  They also sport a small selection of vinyl soundtracks in a crate or two. The store also sells Asian horror posters, which lean on the expensive side, but they’re kept in excellent condition, so collectors have little to complain about.

Owners Jess Mills and Aaron Hamel were on their feet since the doors opened, ringing people up and I can only imagine how much stock they’ll have to replenish.  In the absence of NYC mainstays Kim’s Video and Videology, Night Owl seeks to fill a void in the community.  Like Takashi Miike says in “Hostel,” you can spend all your money there.

Follow Night Owl Video on Instagram at @nightowlvid. Night Owl Video opens to the public on April 11, 2025.

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