Specialty Video & Dvd

When Netflix and HuluPlus can’t get you what you want, Specialty Video has everything. From weird foreign films to brand new dumb action movies they seriously have everything. Plus they have an amazing independent and LGBTQ section, as well as stocking movies from years and years ago, not just brand new. If you can’t find something, the employees will always help you look. It’s the best neighborhood video store since JC Flicks.

It’s not often I go to a video store, but I prefer this one for the times I do. I recently got a dvd that did not play, and returned it the same day. They will check to see if it plays on their end and refund me if it doesn’t. I’d prefer the refund upfront since it didn’t play on my machines that play other discs (unless they are inviting us to watch it in their place), but I understand that some dvd’s are old and scratched from regular use. They have a decent selection when you don’t feel like RedBox, Netflix, Hulu, or other streaming sites and are pleasant enough you can just walk in and ask for what you want or what you’re in the mood for.

A little pricey, but a gigantic collection and instant gratification make for a very happy movie nerd.

There is something about Specialty Video that makes me feel like everything is going to be OK. Maybe its the novelty of actually going into a video store now that most have vanished from the earth. I just feel good when I am here.
Specialty Video has a huge selection, all their new releases for movies and TV shows line their walls but there are endless classics to choose from. To me, going to Specialty Video is like an activity. Something to do on Saturday night. Wade through their video selection in a way that Netflix does not allow. Speaking of, while Netflix is convenient, they limit so much of what you can see because of their stupid genres they have determined you like. Specialty Video allows you to look through all the genres and movies and tv shows made over the last 60 or 70 years and see all those Schwarzenegger titles that Netflix is hiding from you. Forgot that The Critic existed? Specialty Video wont let you forget because they have all their cartoons ready for you, waiting. It’s the best way to remind yourself there is so much more out there to watch and Netflix is keeping it from you. Thats part of the fun, what will I find at Specialty Video today? I almost never go in with a particular title in mind. I let their selection guide. I am always rewarded.
Plus if you’re feeling subversive you can go to their back section and get all the porn and butt plugs you can handle! Everyone wins!

This is a terrific shop. Broad selection of things not found on Netflix or Amazon. They always seem to have something I haven’t seen but am interested in playing while I’m shopping. Go by bike if possible or look for parking on a side street. Ashland avenue is a short block away and there’s good parking there, especially if you’re spending more than a minute in Andersonville.

Had a desire to get an old school movie that is not on Netflix called and they had it. For a rental shop they are okay, customer service was all right, and the selection seems broad.
I get most of my entertainment from the Web these days, nice to see there are still these shop around.

After years of being a loyal customer to my locally-​owned video store, I’m afraid all patronage must end. After getting home to see a DVD I rented was damaged (although hard to see unless held in the correct light), I decided to be honest and let them know I was given a damaged DVD… as opposed to just returning it and screwing the customer after me.
The young guy at the counter told me the manager would be back in a few days and would call me regarding the DVD. Great. Well, all that happened a few days later was a charge of nearly $ 30 to my debit card. (They insist you keep a card on file with them). No call. No attempt to hear my story. No customer is always right. No trust that I was not, in fact, the one who damaged the DVD.
Does it make any sense that I would draw your attention to the damage if I was, in fact, the one who did it? And if so, why wouldn’t I just pay for it then and there, whilst telling you about the damage, if I was responsible? Wtf.
Unbelievably horrible customer service. For a dying breed of a business, it would seem customer service should be at the top of their list. The manager did not bother to call. The manager charged me without ever hearing the story.
The manager/​owner has lost two long-​time customers. For good. And will be finding a disputed charge… we’ll see if they actually bother to pick up the phone at that point.
So sad for a local business. Sad and shameful. Thanks for understanding I did the right thing by being honest. I guess I should have just returned the damaged DVD without a word, like the person before me.
Peace out, Specialty Video. Too bad.

have not been in a long time because use red box but this is a very great place not just to rent but buy used they keep in stock and are well kept. its a great store and i still go out of my way to go there even thou don’t live in the naborhood.

When people tell me that the era of the video rental store is over, I tell them to go to Andersonville’s Specialty Video & DVD. They have excellent selections of new releases, documentaries, foreign films, classics, and everything in between. Prices are reasonable and staff is friendly.
The only downside that I see is their cataloguing system leaves a bit to be desired. Within genres, films are «alphabetized…» which is to say that titles are loosely grouped together by first letter and not too much after that.
At the end of the day, it’s a better selection than Redbox, less wait time than Netflix, and cheaper than iTunes. There is clearly reason to rent here.

This place is great, especially if you’re looking for foreign films or something a little more obscure (they’ve got all the new releases and popular movies as well). They also have great deals on certain days of the week.
However, the movies are not perfectly alphabetized which has caused problems for me on more than one occasion when I was trying to find a movie that they said was not checked out yet.

I tried this place because they’re near me. The prices seemed fair and they had a reasonable selection. I rented one movie, but it wouldn’t play in my computer. Tried another one and it just skipped through half the scenes. Unfortunately, this was right before we went away for Christmas, so it ends up sitting around my house for a couple weeks. When I got back, I returned it. Figured they’d charge some reasonable amount for a late fee and we’d be done with it. Turns out they want $ 40 for the movie I never got to play. Amazon rents that movie for $ 3 or I could buy the DVD for $ 10. Apparently their policy is to just keep racking up late fees without any sort of maximum. Looks like I’m going back to amazon/​redbox/​etc.

I called ahead to find a certain movie. Dude said he had it.
When I got there, he couldnt find it.
Therefore making my call ahead useless and a waste of time.
I’ve been burned.

I’m a new transplant to Andersonville from Boystown. Maybe it’s what one does after you cross the 30 yrs old line… Anyway, I digress. I was so happy to find a video store within walking distance. Yes I said VIDEO STORE.
It’s nice to be able to chat with a staff and get some good recommendations (from an actual person and not a computer that compiles your rental history… ahem Netflix). And they have a wide selection of titles Besides any store that files ‘Midnight Cowboy’ and ’ Taxi Driver’ under ‘Hooker/​Johns’, is okay in my book.

Okay, I actually kind of love Specialty Video and I think the two stores do a good job in filling in each other’s gaps. I mean, I think I prefer the Broadway store but I’ll always check here if that store doesn’t have something. One unfortunate thing is that the stores don’t have the same rental policies so it’s sometimes hard to keep them straight.
One thing about this place though is that while I know that they’ll generally have most things I’ll reasonably expect this kind of video store to have, with a large selection of foreign and independent titles, I know going in the door not to talk to the staff because they are quite often the kind of hipstery snobbish you expect in a video store but they don’t usually seem to know much about film so it’s all empty show-​ponying. I usually just tune out while I’m in there so I don’t have to roll my eyes and snarl to myself, «Can the attitude, Ginger, you don’t even know what you’re talking about. It’s nice that you got a job here after your Blockbuster closed up shop but get a grip, okay?»
BTW, if you’re looking for the APU trilogy on DVD it’s here. But don’t steal it because I need it. MMkay? Also, if you’re looking for rare titles on VHS, they have some here but you might have better luck at the store on Broadway, or, I’ve heard, Odd Obsession in Wicker Park.

The video stores I’ve been to don’t seem to know what they’re talking about and have a terrible selection. I wouldn’t fault somebody for just downloading stuff off the internet with the terrible shape of most video stores.
This place is different, though. they have an INCREDIBLE selection of classics, rarities and obscurities for EVERY taste in movies. Most of the clerks seem helpful and nice, too.
To address someone else’s comment on parking? Try turning down a side street. No permit parking, and there’s always a free space within at least a couple blocks of where you want to be.
Prices seem reasonable, esp. given the rarity of a lot of these flicks. Cheaper than blockbuster. We went ahead and bought some movie credits to make it cheaper.

Oh how I love the animation selection here. Employees are always helpful and friendly. They have some of the coolest Italian animated features.
The prices and rental times are reasonable. The Japanese animation selections are nothing to sneeze at either.
I’ve found every movie I’ve ever wanted to see _​again_​here, and then had decision paralysis ‘cos there’s always a new arrival you want to see, if only to have something to talk about with co-​workers. Oh, and the stop-​motion selections leave little to be desired.
Specialty has one of the best blends of classic and camp horror collections I’ve ever seen. They even have Aeon Flux and Beavis & Butthead to round it all out. This place is a tiny, grey-​carpeted, fluorescent-​lit heaven.

Specialty Video has an awesome selection of independent, foreign and campy/​cult films… however, specialty video is a bit expensive and if you’re late with returning your DVD, they automatically charge your credit card upon return (fair enough) but because I am habitually late returning DVDs this can become expensive and very annoying… thus, I broke up with Specialty Video and got back together with Netflix. Some of the people who worked there were a bit rude… but kinda funny-​rude, kinda like, you’re pretty sure you’re being talked down too… but you’re not positive… but what the fuck, it’s kinda funny.
Oh, and very good «back-​room» that appeals to all interests… if you know what I mean *wink-​wink*

This place needs some pussy.
Their adult section is probably about 90% gay male (and those who enjoy gay male porn) and 10% everyone else. Which is fine, appealing to the clientle is all good with me.
They are very accommodating to their gay male audience, providing rows upon rows of selections, as well as baskets that I’m sure would be fun to bend over and peruse in front of a potential suitor. They’ve got their sections divided into Amatuer, Vintage, Bi, Fetish and even a special area designated just for Falcon flicks.
Like I said before, all other porn is mushed together in a melting pot of sorts. At least they did have a «Lesbian» section where they featured GirlFriends Films… films that want to depict actual lesbians, but usually just get one femmey butch and call it a night.
They also have all the movies everyone looks for:
— One night in Paris
— The Pam and Tommy Lee home video
— Deep Throat
— Debbie Does Dallas
— Girls Gone Wild Series
As well as about one or two selections of all the other straight genres. I was happy to see a few Shane’s World and Dirty Debs.
They also provide lube (both oil and water based), butt plugs and cockrings. But suprise suprise, no vibrators or dildos!
Oh well. You can’t always get what you want.

This indie retailer kicks Blockbuster’s ass. Specialty has a great selection, and stocks the kind of stuff the chains don’t. And not just esoteric stuff. Recently, a friend and I wanted to rent some classic films: Marx Brothers, screwball comedy, that sort. We went to Hollywood video first, and while they had a fine selection of everything that had played in the multiplex for the past year, they had nothing we were looking for. This, despite the fact that a collection of Thin Man movies had been released on DVD in 2005, and two collections of Marx Brothers movies were released in 2004. (Which is why I thought Hollywood might have them.) Needless to say, Specialty had all we wanted and more. We ended up renting The Thin Man, Duck Soup, and Twentieth Century (original release 1934, DVD release 2005, nowhere in sight at Hollywood.)
They do carry the new releases as well, including foreign and indie films you might or might not find at the big stores. They don’t censor their films, like Blockbuster. And they have a great selection of older films, classics, and cult films — some even on (gasp) video.
Their staff is very knowledgeable, even if sometimes their taste is questionable. Once when I was in the store, they were playing «The Island,» the Ewan McGregor sci-​fi romp, which one guy referred to as «not bad.» Oh come on, if that movie is anything, it’s bad.
Specialty is pricier than some video stores, and their new films are only 1 day rentals (older films are 2 days, still not so great). But Monday rentals are 2 days, 2 bucks. Deal!

Pretty extensive selection of Horror, SciFi and Cult DVD’s for when Netflix just isn’t fast enough for a fix. Yeah, I’m a junkie too.