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World's last Blockbuster weathering covid-19 pandemic

Chris Pastrick
2573238_web1_AP19074741239372
AP
Employee Ryan Larrew alphabetizes returns movies March 12, 2019, before reshelving them at the last Blockbuster store on the planet in Bend, Ore.

If the streaming revolution couldn’t kill the world’s last remaining Blockbuster store, what hope does the new coronavirus have?

The store, located in Bend, Ore., has made adjustments — like curbside pickup and extra cleaning measures — to deal with the covid-19 pandemic, KTVC in Oregon reports.

“We’re trying to find a way to get doors opened back up,” store manager Sandi Harding said.

As part of the new setup, customers can call the store and order their selections. Staffers then clean each movie, place it in a zip-lock bag and bring it out to the customer.

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown has ordered the state’s residents to stay home, other than conducting essential tasks, such as grocery shopping and obtaining health care.

“There’s still a lot of people in the community that don’t have streaming, that don’t have the ability to have cable and whatnot,” Harding told KTVC, referring to why the store remains open with modifications. “Especially now with people being laid off.”

For those customers who prefer to go into the store, Harding’s team has set up a one-way route to maintain proper social distancing.

The Bend store became the final remaining Blockbuster in world a year ago, when the Perth, Australia, store shut down.

Chris Pastrick is a TribLive digital producer. An Allegheny County native, he began working for the Valley News Dispatch in 1993 and joined the Trib in 1997. He can be reached at cpastrick@triblive.com.

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