It’s been a decade (or two?!) since browsing the aisles at Blockbuster was still a regular Friday night ritual for many of us. Even though we can cue up West Side Story or La Dolce Vita on Netflix in a few seconds these days, the nostalgia of picking out the perfect movie, stocking up on candy at the register, and the reminder to “be kind and rewind” still holds strong. Now a few lucky people can relive that experience for a few nights this September. The last Blockbuster in the world—located in Bend, Oregon—has teamed up with Airbnb so local movie lovers in Deschutes County can enjoy a ’90s-themed sleepover in the store.
This ultra-limited listing will be available to book for just three individual, one-night stays that will take place on September 18, 19, and 20, 2020. The listing goes live at 1 p.m. PT on August 17 and is only open to Deschutes County residents in Oregon to limit travel and minimize the risk of spreading COVID-19. Even though this isn’t a contest, the nightly fee—$4 plus taxes and fees—costs less than your monthly Netflix subscription. (Airbnb will also make a donation to the Humane Society of Central Oregon, a longtime partner of the store.)
Book August 17 at 1 p.m. PT: $4 (up to four guests), airbnb.com/blockbuster
The living room setup comes with a sofa bed and an additional air mattress to accommodate up to four guests from the same quarantine pod.
Courtesy of Airbnb
Your host will be store manager Sandi Harding, who has run this Blockbuster since 2004. Together with Airbnb, Harding will transform a portion of the store into the ’90s-era living room of your dreams, complete with a foldout couch, bean bag chair, neon-print everything, and of course, a big TV. Most importantly, guests will have access to all the movies in the store to curate their own all-night movie marathon.
For those who don’t qualify to book this extra-special Airbnb, you can still call the store’s “Callgorithm” for movie suggestions. Just dial +1 (541) 385-9111 and you’ll be connected to a real-life staff member who can tailor movie suggestions based on your personal preferences. You can even support the store by buying Blockbuster merch in its online store (Blockbuster sweatpants, anyone?).
Guests who are able to secure the three exclusive bookings can be assured that the store will be cleaned in accordance with Airbnb’s enhanced cleaning protocol. In addition to only Deschutes County residents being eligible to book, Airbnb is also requesting that all guests must come from the same household in order to minimize risk.
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