The box, which sits in a high-traffic area at 2468 Riopelle St., Detroit, and within eyeshot of FREE AGE, was installed last week and has already gained a lot of attention, as well as a steady flow of DVDs, VHS tapes, and curious passersby. Toscano even put some movie theater candy in the box, but says that it got swiped within 15 minutes.
Since installing it, he has watched people crowd around it and, once the @freeblockbusterdetroit Instagram account started to take off, he joked with his co-worker that maybe they stumbled onto a good business idea: a place to rent movies.
Toscano says that they have plans to put another Free Blockbuster box in Hamtramck, and says he checks in with the box each day to make sure there isn't anything “too crazy” in there.
“Someone just asked if there was an adult section,” Toscano says. “I thought, it would be funny to have a little curtain in there or have a spot in the back of the box.”
Though X-rated flicks will likely not get placement in Toscano's box, he hopes that it will serve as a way for movie lovers to tap into the nostalgia for those old video rental stores and to bring the community together, one melting man at a time.
“The one thing we talked about, we hope people don't just dump garbage DVDs and VHS no one wants,” he says. “We hope that every once and while there are quality films, cult classics, B and C movies, independent films, and that it becomes a destination for people.”
Oh, and as always: Be kind, rewind.
We welcome readers to submit letters regarding articles and content in Detroit Metro Times. Letters should be a minimum of 150 words, refer to content that has appeared on Detroit Metro Times, and must include the writer's full name, address, and phone number for verification purposes. No attachments will be considered. Writers of letters selected for publication will be notified via email. Letters may be edited and shortened for space.
Email us at letters@metrotimes.com.
Detroit Metro Times works for you, and your support is essential.
Our small but mighty local team works tirelessly to bring you high-quality, uncensored news and cultural coverage of Detroit and beyond.
Unlike many newspapers, ours is free – and we'd like to keep it that way, because we believe, now more than ever, everyone deserves access to accurate, independent coverage of their community.
Whether it's a one-time acknowledgement of this article or an ongoing pledge, your support helps keep Detroit's true free press free.