One of the last remaining movie rental shops in the Owen Sound area is closing its doors.
Philly D’s Olde Time Emporium on 16th Street East in Owen Sound is shutting down next week. Its last day of operation will be Tuesday, May 23.
Owner Phil Davis explains the decision came as the lease for their brick-and-mortar location is almost up, and the plaza they’re located in was also recently sold, so he felt that now was the time to close down.
He also says that in recent years, it’s been hard to keep a steady flow of new products on the shelves.
“There are things that have made this business more and more difficult, being streaming services, [and] being not nearly the quality of movies coming out as there has been in the past,” Davis says.
To clear out the store, Davis says everything is marked down to 50% off for the last few days the business will be open, and after that, he’ll be selling whatever is left through his website, phillyd.ca.
Bayshore News was initially informed of Philly D’s closing for good through a phone call to our newsroom, from a customer who was upset the store was going out of business.
Davis says his regular customers, who frequent his shop anywhere from two to four times per week, were also dismayed.
“The biggest problem is I sort of feel bad in a way, honestly, because there’s not really an option for people who don’t stream,” Davis explains. “I have lots of people who don’t really use computers at all.”
The business started 11 years ago as Bill & Phil’s with his former business partner, before ending up as Philly D’s.
Prior to opening a store of his own, Davis worked for Blockbuster and says that at the time of opening his own video store, he knew at the time that it wouldn’t last.
He does say that he’s fortunate that it lasted for as long as it did.
“I knew that this day would come for a long, long time, and I certainly held off for as long as I could, really,” Davis says.