Video store closes it’s doors
In the 1980’s, a pop group called the Buggles sang "Radio
killed the video star”. In 2014 they could just as easily
sing that technology has killed our video store.
After 32 years, Hay's first
video rental store has closed.
At a time when interest rates were climbing to their all time
high of 18%, and most of New South Wales was in the
grip of a severe
drought, Pat Fayle
decided to risk
everything and
open a new
business. "Video
was the new
entertainment,"
said Pat, "so I did
some research,
made an educated
guess (between
Beta or VHS) and
went for it." Lucky
for Pat at the time
VHS was the right
way to go.
cost $100 to $125 each."
Video players at the time cost around $800 and money in
the area was tight because of the drought, but Pat found
that her venture was popular and people were more than
happy to rent a video for a couple of dollars rather than
have to save up to buy them.
Hay video store was soon making enough to hire staff. Pat
started out at the back of the garage (Warren Fayle
Motors), soon moving to the offices next door and then in
boom times across the road to the front section of the old
Hay Motors building.
Embracing 21st century entertainment, Pat moved into
DVD's and play station games about 4 years ago. As
technology has marched on and modern computers,
phones and game consoles can connect to the internet for
movies and games, the old video store has become
obsolete and has closed its doors.
Pat told her
husband Warren of
her idea and he
laughed and asked
where she was going to get the money. "From the bank,"
Pat replied. The first meeting with the bank manager didn't
go very well. "He laughed at me," Pat told the Printed
Post. "The garage wasn't going too well and I wanted
more money and he laughed."
“I would have closed a long time ago,” says Pat, “but
Bruce (Bruce Summers, Pat’s husband) has been a big
help to me, which has kept the doors open this long.” Pat
has been in bad health for five years with rheumatoid
arthritis.
Determined that her idea was good, Pat went home, wrote
up a business plan and was successful second time
'round, in her bid to borrow money for her new business. "I
started the business with 100 VHS tapes," said Pat, "They
From
$5
to
$10
Pat and Bruce are having a clearance sale on 11th/12th
April of all remaining stock.
For
Sale
Old Hay Motors Building
Entrance via Pollard St.
9am - 5pm
Bruce and Pat:
0428 665 235
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