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Tuesday, Jan 22, 2013 4:13 PM UTC

Blockbuster to close 300 stores across U.S.

The once prosperous movie rental chain only has about 500 stores

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Topics: blockbuster, brick and mortar store, Video, store chain,

Blockbuster to close 300 stores across U.S.(Credit: AP Photo/Toby Talbot)

Blockbuster, the major destination for movie rentals in the 1990s, is still around…but not for much longer, it seems. Dish Network, the parent company of the once prosperous movie rental chain, has announced the closing of 300 brick-and-mortar stores across the nation; 35% of the existing 850 stores. Spokesman John Hall said, “Some of the approximately 300 stores are reaching the end of their lease and others are closing based on overall performance.”

Dish acquired Blockbuster in a bankruptcy sale in 2011, hoping to sell the Dish Satellite at the physical store location and to leverage the brand name of Blockbuster in the video streaming market. But the LA Times reports that Dish has been struggling financially. Via email, Hall told the Times that “We continue to see value in the Blockbuster brand and we will continue to analyze store level profitability and — as we have in the past — close unprofitable stores.”

The closures will cost about 3,000 jobs.

Prachi Gupta

Prachi Gupta is an Assistant News Editor for Salon, focusing on pop culture. Follow her on Twitter at @prachigu or email her at pgupta@salon.com. More Prachi Gupta.

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