Big news, ’90s kids – Blockbuster may be coming back!
But not quite in the way you’d expect.
According to a post on Instagram, Blockbuster Video could be reincarnated as a nightclub, bar, restaurant and amusement park.
Yes, you heard that right. You could be experiencing a Blockbuster-themed amusement park in the near future.
The post revealed that the owner of the Blockbuster trademark filed an application to use the brand in several new ventures.
A publicly viewable application confirmed reports of a Blockbuster comeback and lists “night clubs; amusement centers; entertainment services in the nature of an amusement center attraction” as well as “bar and restaurant services; snack bar services“ as potential uses of the brand in its new iteration.
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This isn’t the first time Blockbuster has tried to expand its brand.
In the ’90s, Blockbuster operated an indoor theme park called Block Party, where, according to Park Rovers, guests could enjoy a “city-street theme with high-tech attractions designed for 18-to-45-year-olds, including a motion simulator ride and a high-tech maze.”
The venture was tested in Albuquerque and Indianapolis under the leadership of ex-Disney executives Bill Burns and Fred Brooks.
According to ReviewTyme on YouTube, the adult theme parks were marketed as a “place where grown-ups go to kid around.”
ReviewTyme’s video noted that not only did Block Party have games and various attractions, but also a “giant play center for the young at heart.”
Ultimately, the Block Party theme parks were a flop and didn’t revitalize the brand as they’d hoped.
Instead, they became a “hot spot for rowdy 20-somethings,” according to ReviewTyme.
Blockbuster filed for bankruptcy in 2010 and closed most of its stores as movie watchers transitioned to streaming.
One Blockbuster store remains in Bend, Ore., owned by Debbie and Ken Tisher.
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