Independents fight to survive

"We went from being OK to slow, very slow," said Brian Cupps, who has co-owned the video rental store with is wife Marilyn for nine years. "The market has definitely changed."

Cupps, who most directly competes with a nearby Blockbuster Video at Ralston and El Camino Real, attributes his limited, continued success to several factors.

"We have a small core of very loyal customers who don't like chain stores," said Cupps. "We also have a lot of hard-to-find foreign and independent films."

As an example of his specialized inventory, Cupps pointed out a display of Indian movie DVDs. He said these appeal to the local Indian population who work in nearby technology companies such as Oracle.

Independents also depend on more personalized service and the occasional adult film renter (Blockbuster tends not to carry these types of titles), keeping the doors of many independents open.

"We know a lot of the customers in town," said Mary, a manager at the California Video in Belmont who asked her last name not be used. "I've been working here for four years and we know each other [the customers] well. We see a lot of movies and tell customers what is good and what is not."

There is a great deal of competition for the consumer dollar today, said Andrew Mun, a spokesperson for the Video Software Dealers Association in Encino.

"The ones that remain today are competitive by cultivating relationships and being part of the communities they are in," he said.

Cupps understands being involved in the local community. A picture on one of his video store's walls shows children from nearby Nesbit Elementary dressed up in Halloween costumes.

"The kindergarten kids come in every year and take their picture in costume," Cupps said. "We support the school's Pumpkin Patch by donating gift certificates."

Becki Malan, 29, and her daughter Marilyn, 7, were in Belmont Video & DVD this week. As Marilyn browsed the children's videos and sucked on a lollipop Cupps gave her, Becki finished up paying for several movies.

"It is more of a family feeling here," said Malan, who has been a customer for six months. "They know you here and you have a better chance of finding what you are looking for."

Others dropping off rentals and browsing agreed. Trina Dierolf, a 15-year customer who admitted she goes to Blockbuster once in awhile, was one of those.

"It's personal and friendly in here," said Dierolf. "I don't get that feeling in Blockbuster. They also know my tastes in movies well."

Dierolf also likes a reservation service Belmont Video & DVD offers, which allows you to call ahead and have movies you want to watch put aside.

Despite the support, Cupps' outlook on the future of independent video stores locally, including his, was grim.

"I think we are all hanging on by a thread," said Cupps. "If you look up and down the Peninsula in the last year, a couple of small chains and stores have already gone out of business."