Brisbane's last video store owner Brenton Snell with customer, Remus (left) and James. There is a Blockbuster video hire business in Springwood; Goodna still has its Civic Video and there remains a third, the Network Video in Flinders View, all of which are outside of Brisbane. However, Brenton’s decision to close his video store doors robs Brisbane of its last video hire business. “There is no other video store in the Brisbane shire,” Mr Snell said. "None."

He knows it is time to close, but believes he has put up a better fight than other video stores. “I think it is just perserverence,” Mr Snell said. “We always tried to be part of the community I think. “And we always tried to be more than be more than just a simple business,” he added, describing how his store attracted customers from Brisbane’s Centenary Suburbs, from Kenmore and Pullenvale, but also from Morningside and Cannon Hill, he said. The business also added magic products and video games to the shelves.

Over the years he has gathered 7500 customers “on the books” and estimates about 1500 of them are “still active". “Last week I even got a new customer from Caboolture,” he said. “The reality is as the other stores began closing, we just kept getting stronger.” But it is time. A big shift in popular culture is blowing in the wind. Sorry, wrong generation. A big shift in popular culture is now online streaming.

In the United States, only eight Blockbuster video stores remain and five of them are in Alaska. Video hire stores are fast becoming an anachronism. Credit:Louie Douvis The ease and convenience of simply downloading a movie or a TV show from iTunes, Netflix or Stan is hurting the video store operators, Mr Snell said. “There is still a few more years in it,” he said. “But it is coming to an end simply from a convenience issue point of view.

“The ease of using streaming programs like Google play and iTunes means you can download on request. “As they become easier to use you don’t have to wait two days to download a movie anymore.” Australia’s poor internet service means there remains “a few years” for video shops, he said. “I mean most of the people in our area don’t have good enough internet service, so it is still a little while before they will join up to that type of service.” Mr Snell believes DVD players have kept pace with the technology and are not at fault in the declining fortunes of video shops.

“The internet still hasn’t quite got the standard of a good DVD player with surround sound, or going up to (high definition) Blu-ray quality. “It is just not there yet.” But it is time. Brenton Snell admits he is a little sad to close his doors as Brisbane’s last video hire business. He tells of two children who came in with their pocket money to keep his video store open after their father told them the shop would close.

“They are as old as the video store, they have grown up with us,” he said. “And I mean that is simply stunning and yet so heartbreaking.” Oxley’s Network Video’s two most popular videos in the past eight years. 1. The Internship, starring Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson. 2. Maleficent, with Angelina Jolie.

Brenton Snell’s favourites 1. Juan of the Dead – A Havana-made “pisstake” of the 2004 zombie classic Shaun of the Dead. 2. Game of Thrones 3. Anonymous Brenton Snell will sell his 27,000 videos at a sale in store on February 17 from 10.30am.