Netflix opens super ’90s video stores for ‘Fear Street’ trilogy

For those who truly miss their trips to the video store and can’t quite live off people’s incredible home DIY versions on TikTok, Netflix has created a little throwback for you.

The streaming service is opening three promotional pop-up video stores in England to mark the release of Fear Street Part 1: 1994, the first installment of Leigh Janiak’s Fear Street trilogy, based on R.L. Stine’s beloved horror books.

Set to open in in London, Brighton, and Newcastle, the appropriately named Shadyside Videos will be available for the public to peruse on Friday, July 2, between midday and 8 p.m., and over the weekend between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m.

And yes, there’s “blood” on the floor right there.

The stores will have the same opening hours for the second and third installments of the trilogy — July 9 and 10 for Fear Street Part 2: 1978, and July 16 and 17 for Fear Street Part 3: 1666.

Inside, you’ll find a photo booth “with a twist” (whatever that means, I’m…afraid?). Visitors can also buy Fear Street merch, including a T-shirt collaboration with streetwear brand Aries. In the Newcastle store, they’ll be giving away “blood-splattered” chocolate bars made by local outfit The Chocolate Smiths. Plus, local artists Alice Bloomfield, Pippa Toole, and Cori Henderson have created retro poster artworks for the London, Brighton, and Newcastle stores respectively.

Now, importantly, these video stores opened by a streaming giant — whose very existence and our irreversibly changed ways of viewing films means we’ll probably never go back to a video store format ever again — don’t actually have any films you can rent.

Instead, these are pop-up promotional stores meant to immerse you in the world of the films. It’s fun! They look cool! It’s been a while since I’ve been to anything pop-up or anything resembling a Blockbuster, let me have this!

Free membership! Totally awesome.
Credit: JEFF SPICER / GETTY IMAGES / NETFLIX

You’ll find the Shadyside Videos pop-ups in London (149-150 Shoreditch High Street, E1 6HU), Brighton (65 East Street, BN1 1HQ), and Newcastle (6-8 Northumberland Street, NE1 7DE).

Fear Street Part 1: 1994 premieres on Netflix July 2. Fear Street Part 2: 1978 premieres on Netflix July 9. Fear Street Part 3: 1666 premieres on Netflix July 16.