Video stores these days seem to be about as popular as dial-up Internet.
But don’t tell that to Lisa Landsverk, who stops by Hollywood Express in Cambridge at least three times a week.
“I’d rather come support the movie store,” said Landsverk, 53, of Cambridge. “We learn about things that we wouldn’t watch otherwise.”
With the rise of such services as Netflix and cable-on-demand, stores that rent DVDs and videos are dying. Blockbuster, which once boasted dozens of stores in Greater Boston and 4,000 nationally, now has a mere three locations inside Route 128. The company went bankrupt in 2010 and has since been acquired by Dish Network.
Those independent video stores that survive — including Movieworks in Brookline, Lexington Video in Lexington and Chet’s Video in Marblehead — have stuck to traditional customer service and have cultivated a loyal following.
Landsverk said a clerk once brought in his personal copies of anime movies that the store didn’t carry for her 11-year-old daughter.
“People really do appreciate our help,” said Joppa Etienne, a shift manager at Holly-wood Express. “We have a couple of customers that will bring us cupcakes and pies on a regular basis. They’re like, ‘Thank you. You made my weekend.’ Little things like that happen because of the personal connection people make with movies.”
Leanna McGrath, 45, of Cambridge — who stopped by to pick out a 1970s cartoon version of “Robin Hood” for her 4-year-old daughter — got rid of Netflix. “It makes decisions as a family easier,” she said about going to a video store. “You can’t huddle around a computer screen and actually look and read.”
But even with hard-core customers, mom-and-pop video stores continue to struggle. Hollywood Express is down to one location near Porter Square from the three it had two years ago.
Evonne Hyla Wetzner, 38, sold the Video Underground in Jamaica Plain last year. “Regular customers … who might have come in once a week now come once a month,” she said about her business struggles.
But current owner Josiah Simmons, 29, believes the shop is on solid footing.
“We have really loyal customers and the staff here is really friendly,” he said. “We have rare documentaries that aren’t available on Netflix. And we do a lot of local stuff … and screenings.”
Bill Grainge, 63, of Somerville, has a VCR player, a Blu-ray player, cable TV and Netflix, yet he often stops by Hollywood Express.
“When I heard about ‘Breaking Bad’ … Netflix was instantly backed up and sold out. But I came here and they had all of them,” he said.