Rida Video Centre closing after more than 40 years of operations
Amid the proliferation of online streaming services, one of Singapore’s last video rental stores is closing down on 30 April.
In an announcement on its Facebook page, Rida Video Centre in Coronation Shopping Plaza urged customers to come down to redeem their unused credits by then.
Source: Google Maps
Rida Video Centre thanks customers for support & loyalty
Informing customers of its closure on Saturday (21 Feb), Rida Video Centre said customers with unused prepaid rental credits may receive a refund via cash or PayNow.
Refunds, which are available only up to the last day of operations on 30 April, must be collected in person.
This is because customers have to sign on their rental cards to acknowledge the credit balance.
Customers may also choose to exchange the balance for physical DVDs or Blu-ray discs as a keepsake or to add to their collections.
All enquiries can be made only via WhatsApp at 91866273, the shop said, adding:
Thank you very much for all your support and loyalty over the years. We truly appreciate it.
Rida Video Centre is a throwback to the 80s & 90s
Rida Video Centre, which was founded in 1985, was originally located in Serene Centre but later moved to Coronation Shopping Plaza after a hike in rent.
The store is a throwback to the 1980s and 1990s, when customers used to rent VHS tapes, laser discs and VCDs before the Internet age.
But it kept up with the times too, shifting to DVDs and Blu-ray discs, thousands of which cram its shelves.
Source: Google Maps
Its friendly owner, Madam Laurel Khoo, is a walking repository of film knowledge, and would be all too happy to share it with customers to help them find the films they want.
In keeping with the old-school vibe, the shop also keeps thousands of physical rental cards for members.
While its post did not mention why it was closing down, Mdm Khoo told The Straits Times in a 2020 interview that online streaming services had affected business.
Though she wanted to hand the shop over to her children or staff, she would let it go when sales drop to “zero”, she said.
Visit before the final curtain
Some details for customers or nostalgists who would like to visit Rida Video Centre before the final curtain falls:
Rida Video Centre
Address: 587 Bukit Timah Road, #02-17 Coronation Shopping Plaza, Singapore 269707
Opening hours: 9.30am to 8.30pm (Sunday to Thursday), 9.30am to 9.30pm (Friday to Saturday)
WhatsApp: 91866273
Nearest MRT: Botanic Gardens/Tan Kah Kee
Also read: Pull&Bear closing last S’pore store on 22 Feb, returns can be made at Zara VivoCity
Pull&Bear closing last S’pore store on 22 Feb, returns can be made at Zara VivoCity
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Featured image adapted from Google Maps and Google Maps.
