DVD Funhouse (Photos: Jenna Marotta)
Netflix continues to clobber the local movie-buying landscape (R.I.P., Photoplay). DVD Funhouse in the East Village is the latest casualty. Employees said the store has another month or two until they lock up for good.
Located on Broadway near 11th Street, the store used to go by $5.99 DVD Funhouse, but that’s no longer accurate. Per the going-out-of-business sale, most DVDs are officially 2-for-$5, but you’ll be offered a better deal at the register. A truck was carting away boxes from the back room and the basement late this afternoon, but the store is currently filled with still-organized merchandise (there’s a whole aisle for karate/fung-fu films).
Besides wide selections of horror flicks, war docs, TV shows and cartoons, there are plenty of DVDs that shouldn’t even exist (Sex and The City Essentials: Mr. Big). In the Yoga-Fitness-Workout section, you’ll find gems like American Gladiators: Ultimate Workouts and Darren’s Dance Groves 2. DVD Funhouse also sells iPhone accessories, superhero posters, and a hell of a lot of Bob Marley and Guns ‘N Roses apparel (it even says so on a sign for any rockers and rastas stricken with face blindness).
Finally, the place has refrigerated cases full of 99-cent beverages. Until they close, DVD Funhouse is where I’ll be buying soda every time I go to the Union Square theater.
