Rewinding spools, chewed up tape, hoping your favorite television show recorded. If you’re feeling a little nostalgic, that’s A-OK because June 7 is National VCR Day.
The video cassette recorder (VCR) was a fixture in many American homes in the 1980s and ‘90s.
It made its debut at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in 1970 and would eventually give previous home-viewing technology a run for its money.
In 1983, the year Sound of Music became Best Buy, we started selling the tech that transformed the in-home entertainment industry. VCRs and VHS tapes were so big for the business that it accounted for more than half of the company’s sales growth in 1984.
As home video revenue first surpassed movie theater ticket sales, Best Buy even tested the waters of video rentals services for a brief time from 1987 to 1990.
The VCR has since become obsolete because of DVD, digital download and streaming technologies. The last manufacturer of the VCR stopped making the machines last year, and video rental stores are no longer on every street corner (or on hardly any at all).
But you can still celebrate National VCR Day. Many Americans have yet to throw out their beloved devices. So go ahead and plug your VCR into the TV, dig out your favorite VHS tapes, pop some popcorn and have yourself a good old-fashioned movie night.
Best Buy no longer sells VCRs, but you can still find the latest in-home entertainment at your local store or on BestBuy.com.