The longstanding video rental story is 41 years old this year!
It’s nostalgia to the max at Casa Video, 2905 E. Speedway Blvd., and now the crew is celebrating the Film Bar’s 10th anniversary on Tuesday, December 31.
A Trip Down Memory Lane
Let’s pretend Casa Video is in the format of a Blu-ray or DVD. Here’s a quick featurette in its bonus features on how it all began in the ’80s:
The owners of Casa Video and Film Bar — brother and sister, Gala and Ray Mellenberndt — first opened the shop in July 1983, at 1925 E. Grant Rd., now home to H.Q. Nails Spa. In 1985, they took over just one of the spaces at 2905 E. Speedway Blvd. (its current location) and as the other businesses left that location, Casa expanded.
10 years ago, the video rental crew turned a section of the story into a craft beer and wine bar — a space that screens free movies when they’re open from 10 a.m. – 1 a.m. 365 days a year.
Anniversary Festivities
Word on the street is that the Film Bar turned 10 years old on December 25. So, since there’s another popular birthday that same day, they’re celebrating on New Year’s Eve.
Being that it’s Tuesday, they’re hosting their weekly SpeedQuizzing at 7 p.m. (get there early if you have a large group or want a good seat).
Ukies will be serving its Ukrainian food starting at around 6 p.m.
At 10 p.m., they’ll be showing the 1998 comedy classic “The Big Lebowski” on all screens throughout the taproom.
Then, lastly, they’ll have free cake and a champagne toast at midnight!
Fun Fact:
In the year 2000, Casa Video had already become such a well-known treasure that Blockbuster tried to purchase the store.
Luckily, the owners stuck to their roots and chose to keep Casa a Tucson staple. They never responded to the offer.
Stop by the video rental store and bar on New Year’s Eve (Tuesday, December 31) and congratulate them on 10 years and 40+ years overall.
Casa Video and Film Bar is located at 2905 E. Speedway Blvd. For more information, visit casafilmbar.com and follow the video store and taproom on Facebook and Instagram.
Article written by:
Matt Sterner
More about MattAt a very young age, Matt Sterner was gifted with the artistic ability to masterfully roll a burrito to the highest of standards, but the wrapped medley of delicious innards wasn’t his first love. Matt’s first true love was a combination of reading, writing, and creating. He grew up reading comics, the ingredients list of his shampoo and conditioner bottles, choose-your-own-adventure books, and the Scrabble dictionary — something he found useful when challenging his grandmother to a game.
He attended college at New Mexico State University and graduated with a degree in Digital Filmmaking. One of his favorite classes was screenwriting because he became responsible for the story’s birth before it came to life on-screen. After school, Matt took on numerous positions at a local television station in Tucson. From dealing out stories about heartbreak to producing “fluffier” content for a lifestyle broadcast, he learned what it takes to adapt to the many emotions the world of media can stir. Since 2017, Matt has dabbled in the culinary world of Tucson as well as San Diego, California from time to time.
If you’re in the mood for strange stories, head over to his pride and joy, wonkytimes.com. And in case you’re curious — yes, after all of this time, he still manages to roll a killer burrito.
