Our Readers Write: Support video store over competition
The other day, I noticed a Red Box video rental kiosk located within the newly-remodeled Ralphs market. These kiosks tout easy and convenient rentals of select DVDs. One can simply insert a credit card, pick up a movie and take it home with the groceries. Does it get any better than that? Well, yes, it does.
Across the street located at 520 Foothill Blvd. is La Cañada Video, a gem of a video rental store independently owned and operated by Hamlet Shabazian. La Cañada Video has a wide variety of movies in video, DVD and Blu-Ray formats. An incredible collection of classics, foreign films, recent releases and more are right here in our own neighborhood.
Hamlet and the staff are ready to help with recommendations or even to help you find the title with whatever information you can provide. La Cañada Video is not so much a place to merely rent a movie as it is a place to talk about a movie (or anything else) and find something for which you may not have even been looking. Red Box may offer convenience, but La Cañada Video offers an experience.
While I harbor no ill will toward Red Box, I cannot help but think that opting for its convenience will negatively impact our local video store. Hamlet has given a lot of kids here an opportunity to work and interact with a community of customers.
La Cañada Video faces competition not only from Red Box, but from other sources, as well. Before you opt for convenience, please consider supporting La Cañada Video.
Linda Pierce
La Cañada Flintridge
Hydroponics clearly a growing business
I found it interesting that the Valley Sun report of an indoor marijuana operation in Montrose, which I read online just now (www.lacanadaonline.com), has a Google ad on the same page informing me about the benefits of hydroponics. This is how the enterprise individuals were able to grow their illegal crop in a downtown Montrose travel agency.
On Thursday, I read about the Montrose police activity in a Crescenta Valley publication while sitting in my doctor’s office. It was equally interesting to see a print ad for a hydroponic business on Honolulu Avenue in downtown Montrose in that same publication.
What a coincidence. Apparently, hydroponics is a “growing” business and not likely to go “bust” in Montrose.
Ralph Morones
La Cañada