I certainly can’t top Rob Thomas’ opening graf, but as the Capital Times reporter and movie blogger wrote last Saturday, Four Star Video Heaven’s employees have taken over.
Actually, it’s Four Star Video Cooperative* now, at least according to the store’s Facebook page. The cooperative, comprised of six Video Star employees, secured a loan from Summit Credit Union, the bulk of which was to presumably round out the remainder of an unsuccessful Indiegogo campaign. Crowdfunding ended on April 24 having raised just $7,680 of the $50,000 mark, although unlike Kickstarter, Indiegogo allows organizers to keep the lump sum regardless of a campaign’s success. As Thomas reports, that chunk of change was enough for a down payment on the store, located at 449 State Street.
Congratulations are in order for what long appeared to be a grim future for Madison’s video store, but the shift to a cooperative feels a bit like doubling down on the ever dwindling physical media market. (The renowned Kimâs Video in New York City closed its doors just last month.) There’s something personable and a little endearing about a face-to-face movie recommendation, especially when compared to Netflix’s algorithmic pimping of documentaries made after 2009. But it remains to be seen what a group of decision-makers can offer that Lisa Brennan, Four Star’s outgoing owner, couldn’t or wouldn’t.
Still, turning one of its beloved stores into yet another co-op falls right in line with Madison helping Madison like only Madison can. And as Thomas notes, Four Star is well known and highly regarded in cinephile circles. Former A.V. Club stalwarts Nathan Rabin and Keith Phipps, who now run the most essential film site on the planet, both pulled paychecks there once.
Ownership of Four Star was officially transferred at midnight last Thursday, and the new cooperative will be celebrating with a day-long “Grand Re-Opening” on Tuesday, August 5. In addition to a boatload of previously unavailable selections — including new Criterion releases like Richard Lester’s A Hard Day’s Night and, one hopes, more Wisconsin-made films — the re-opening offers a chance of food, of all things.
“We’re not totally sure what’s going to happen,” Andy Fox, one of the new owners, said over the phone. “There might be a DJ. There might be pizza. There will be cake. There’s a likelihood you may be able to convince us to do two-for-ones, but you’ll have to work pretty hard for that.”