Rewind at Houston’s New Video Rental-Themed Speakeasy
Bar pop-up Back 2 the Video Store promises movie-themed cocktails, arcade games, and plenty of ‘90s nostalgia
Renting a movie nowadays can be as easy as clicking a few buttons on your remote, but “back in the day,” it required going into a video rental store like Blockbuster, shopping the available movie titles on shelves, and checking them out for days at a time, kind of like a library (we’ll explain that one later). Now, there’s a new speakeasy in Houston for those who remember this experience fondly.
Back 2 the Video Store has popped up in Washington Avenue’s Junction HTX, recreating the video rental store experience with throwback movie-themed drinks, arcade games, and an aesthetic that harkens back to the world pre-streaming. “It takes us back to the ‘90s and 2000s during simpler times when, on Friday night, we were picking out a movie,” says Nyeri Stepanian, a manager at Bucket Listers, the entertainment company hosting the event.
Brittany Britto Garley
The 21-and-up experience, which officially launched on Friday, June 28, starts at a side entrance of Junction. Bargoers walk up a set of stairs, where they spot a code that gives them access to the speakeasy door. Behind a beaded wall hides a mock rental store, where a welcome attendant hands each visitor a drink ticket masquerading as a membership card. From there, they can choose from the various movie VHS tape cases that line the shelves, each with a corresponding cocktail. Attendees then check out their “movie” at the bar, where a “videotender” crafts the drink. Highlights include the dark and tropical Men in Black, a mix of Ube, spiced rum, cachaca, lime and pineapple juices, and coconut, and the fun NBA Jam shot, a combination of Fireball and Rumchata that comes with a miniature basketball hoop to shoot a candy Whopper into the glass.
A themed food menu is also available, with a meatless K-Impossible burger, named after the Disney cartoon show Kim Possible, Y2K grilled cheese, Sandlot hot dogs, and Clueless ice cream comprised of vanilla ice cream topped with raspberry sauce and gummy bears.
The pop-up bar’s decor is incredibly niche, with neon lights, lava lamps, glow-in-the-dark decorations, and old movie posters. Bargoers can play retro arcade games like PacMan and Mortal Kombat, or enjoy their drink while watching old flicks on the on-site projector screen.
Brittany Britto Garley
Tickets ($22) include a 90-minute reservation, plus one Y2K-themed cocktail or mocktail. Bargoers can also upgrade their ticket at special events, including the 1990s vs. 2000s Blockbuster brunch ($45), which includes bottomless mimosas, brunch specials, and a lively debate about which decade was better. Back 2 the Video Store will also host a Video Killed the Radio Star DJ Party this summer, featuring four hours of music with corresponding throwback music videos and a welcome cocktail. Tickets will be $28 each.
The bar is one of the latest pop-ups by media entertainment company Bucket Listers, which will also host the Malibu Barbie Cafe at Junction HTX in August.
Bucket Listers
Back 2 the Video Store will be open for reservations on Thursdays and Fridays at 8200 Washington Avenue through August 10.
