An L.A. video store with a theater has become a retro-cool attraction
LOS ANGELES — If you ask Vidiots executive director Maggie Mackay why the video rental store and theater is a buzzy hive of activity in the age of streaming and megaplexes, she'll respond with a story. This being Los Angeles, it obviously stars celebrities.
The setting is Santa Monica, 2016. Vidiots, a cultural cornerstone for more than 30 years, was on the brink of closing because of changing tastes in entertainment. One June day, a note scrawled on a scrap of paper appeared in the store like a critical plot point in a Hallmark movie.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Bloomberg
18 minutes ago
- Bloomberg
S&P 500 Gains as Lutnick Signals US-China Progress
Bloomberg Television brings you the latest news and analysis leading up to the final minutes and seconds before and after the closing bell on Wall Street. Today's guests are Julie Biel, Kanye Anderson Rudnick, Michael Feroli, JPMorgan, Isabelle Lee, Bloomberg News, Brian Bernasek, Carlyle, Michael Pachter, Wedbush Securities, Mandy Xu, CBOE Global Markets, Hepsen Uzcan, DWS Group, Marissa Adams, HSBC, Edmund Reese, AON, Tim Sloan & Josh Pack, Fortress Investment Group. (Source: Bloomberg)
Wall Street Journal
21 minutes ago
- Wall Street Journal
‘Aida' Review: Angel Blue's Sensational Soprano on PBS
It might dawn on a viewer during 'Aida' that we live in a great country, where you can avail yourself of three hours of Verdi from the Metropolitan Opera on a Friday night for the unprincely sum of $1.60 (what each American pays, approximately, for a year of public broadcasting). And, if you happen to have other plans, make use of your god-given DVR option to watch it later. Do one or the other: There are flaws in the production, but it is a spectacle, an emotional and compositional expedition, with a couple of extra-musical dramas afoot as well. The first of these is the appearance of the sensational Angel Blue in her first New York 'Aida,' a role that was virtually owned by another black American soprano, Leontyne Price, during her career at the Met. If opera weren't like hockey, race would be irrelevant. But there's no avoiding the sense of daring involved in a relatively young star such as Ms. Blue taking on a role so identified with a goddess like Price. As viewers will see, and hear, Ms. Blue makes her own mark on a notoriously difficult part, negotiating its most treacherous passages effortlessly and with enormous warmth. She may possess less vocal grandeur than Price, but grandeur may not be what a listener wants from the enslaved Ethiopian princess of Verdi's epic, a tale in which frustrated love and total war lead to the kind of happy ending familiar to fans of grand opera. (I'm kidding.)
Yahoo
22 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Stefon Diggs Breaks Silence on Viral Boat Video at Patriots Minicamp Tuesday
Stefon Diggs Breaks Silence on Viral Boat Video at Patriots Minicamp Tuesday originally appeared on Athlon Sports. It's been a very busy offseason for star wide receiver Stefon Diggs—for a variety of reasons. He's continuing to ramp up his rehab from the torn ACL he suffered during the 2024 season with the Houston Texans, he signed a deal with the New England Patriots, and he's reportedly begun dating rapper Cardi B. Advertisement However, that attention came with controversy. A video recently surfaced showing Diggs partying on a boat with Cardi B and several others. In the clip, Diggs appears to pull an unknown pink substance from his pocket, prompting speculation and concern online. Diggs arrived at mandatory minicamp this week alongside his Patriots teammates and was asked directly about the video. He gave a firm but guarded response: 'Obviously I want to get as candid as possible with you guys,' Diggs said. 'I kind of have this thing where I don't really talk about my personal life with people I don't know personally. I'm pretty sure everybody here—men or women—are great people, but personal life is personal. 'I had a conversation with [Mike Vrabel], and I'm going to echo everything he said. He told me he's hoping everybody is making good decisions. I also had conversations with people in the building as well. Everything else is everything, and the particulars are all internal.' Diggs has been one of the NFL's top wide receivers throughout a career that has spanned stints with the Minnesota Vikings, Buffalo Bills, a brief stop with the Texans, and now his fourth team—the Patriots. With his return to the AFC East, he'll now face his former team in Buffalo twice a year. New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels (r) walks to the practice field with his arm around wide receiver Stefon Diggs (8)© Eric Canha-Imagn Images That said, Diggs is coming off a major injury and steps into a Patriots offense led by second-year quarterback Drake Maye—one that has struggled significantly since Tom Brady's departure in 2020. Advertisement The organization is undergoing a reset in 2025, with Mike Vrabel taking over as head coach and Josh McDaniels returning as offensive coordinator after several years away from the team. Related: Stefon Diggs Believes ACL Injury Impacted New England Patriots Deal This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
