Netflix has announced that real-world stores will be built by the streaming giant, begging the question of how they will work and if the stores will allow movie rentals. A surprising fact about Netflix is that the company was first founded as early as 1997. Between that date and 2007, Netflix predominantly served as a mail-based rental business. Netflix’s early business model saw the company mailing out DVD copies of films for rental via the post, putting them into direct competition with other rental models like Blockbuster, before becoming the creators of original Netflix movies.
With the advancement of technology came the dominant age of the internet, allowing Netflix to become a streaming service in 2007 which saw the company grow into the giant it is today capable of producing some of the biggest Netflix TV shows of all time. In an interesting development reported by NPR, it was announced that Netflix will build brick-and-mortar locations across the globe. This led many to wonder if the company would bring back the old method of renting movies or shows physically amid several other questions about how Netflix’s new stores will pan out.
Netflix’s Real-World Stores Won’t Be Rental Outlets
Despite the main question about Netflix’s physical stores centering on the idea of rentals, the report confirms the locations will not serve as rental outlets. While Netflix has not outright confirmed that physical DVDs or other types of physical media will not be part of its stores, the announcement of what the streaming giant will be providing in real-world locations did not include the idea of rental services. As such, Netflix is opting for a different plan with its real-world stores that center on the streaming service’s biggest original properties.
The report includes quotes from Josh Simon, Netflix’s vice president of consumer products. According to these quotes, Netflix aims to offer retail, dining, and live entertainment in the planned real-world locations. Each of these aspects will be centered entirely on Netflix’s original properties from popular movies like Enola Holmes, Bird Box, and Red Notice to name only a few to overwhelming in-demand shows like Stranger Things, Wednesday, and the live-action One Piece.
When Will Netflix’s Stores Be Built (& Where?)
Naturally, the next questions regarding Netflix’s real-world stores are where and when they will be constructed. According to Simon, Netflix plans to open two store locations in 2025. Concerning where these stores will be built, it remains unclear as yet. All that has been announced is that the two 2025 stores will be erected in unannounced U.S. cities.
After these two locations have been solidified, Netflix hopes to expand its real-world establishments across the globe. The company is likely waiting to see how the real-world stores are received from fans. Should the two U.S. locations in 2025 prove a worthy venture for Netflix, it is hard to imagine that brick-and-mortar locations centering on the streaming service will not be commonplace across the globe by 2030 at the latest.
