A wholesome video rental story

Idaho video store closed after 30 years, but one customer kept renting

People forget (or are too young to have experienced it) that part of the fun of movie/game rental stores was the excitement of getting out and going to get a movie or game. Nothing could beat a Friday night in the early 2000s, getting the car with your mom or dad and going to rent something for the weekend, and walking around, reading the backs of covers, figuring out which ones you wanted. The smell of those physical media…uff!

I know streaming is infinitely more convenient. But that feeling of going to rent something and smelling those DVDs created a sense of joy and excitement that no UI on your screen could ever replicate.

When I came across this Idaho video store story, the only word I uttered was “wow. So the story goes like this:

Video Stop, located at 150 Jefferson Ave, had been a community fixture for nearly three decades, surviving the rise of streaming services and the pandemic.

But I guess by early 2025, owner David Kraning, who had grown up visiting the store when his father owned it, knew the business could no longer continue. The closure, announced in February 2025 and finalized by April, was covered by local news like the Idaho State Journal, marking the end of an era for Pocatello residents.

But the story took a heartwarming turn with one of Video Stop’s most devoted customers, Christina Cavanaugh.

For over 15 years, Christina, a 35-year-old woman with Down syndrome and mostly nonverbal, had visited the store nearly every day with her mother, Toni.

Her routine involved renting movies, often the same titles like Babar: The Movie and Beauty and the Beast, at the same time each afternoon. This ritual was not just entertainment; it was integral to her well-being, providing structure and joy in a world that could often be overwhelming.

Toni Cavanaugh, Christina’s mother, shared the significance of this routine: "She doesn’t ask for very much, she asks for very little, so when she does express herself, I try and accommodate her." This sentiment, echoed in articles like The Washington Post, underscored the emotional weight of the store’s closure for Christina and her family.

This whole story quickly captured hearts far beyond Pocatello. It was featured in a CBS News segment titled "Idaho video store closes after 30 years, but one customer's routine lives on" and covered by outlets like KREM and The Washington Post. Local news like East Idaho News also highlighted the story, emphasizing its local impact.

On social media, particularly Reddit, the story gained significant traction, with posts in communities like r/videos garnering 571 votes and 81 comments, reflecting emotional responses like "I’m not crying, you’re crying." This widespread attention, as noted in Jack and Kitty, underscored the story’s resonance, with users praising David’s kindness and the community’s support.

I understand Christina’s fascination with the physical aspects of picking up your favorite movie at a video store like that. There was something just different about it that's hard to put into words. It was part of the whole experience from picking it out on the shelf, checking out, and taking it home. It's similar to why people enjoy vinyl records over streaming music wirelessly over the internet. It's just not the same. Plus, I hate to manage so many subscriptions just to watch a single film (which keeps hopping from one streaming platform to another).

Idk about you, but I feel like whenever I get close to losing my faith in humanity, the universe recommends a story like this on my brainrotten feed and boom faith in humanity restored!

David Kraning is an angel. He restored humanity by just being kind and thinking of one human being.

This reminds me that there is a chance for every single one of us to be good to each other. If I ever find myself near a local store like this, I will be happy to support it!

Long live HUMANITY.

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Watch the full CBS segment here:

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