I Luv Video
Category: Videos and Video Game Rental [Edit]
Neighborhood: University of Texas2915 Guadalupe St
Austin, TX 78705 (512) 236-0759
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11:00 a.m.-3:00 a.m. - Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Private Lot
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
21 Reviews for I Luv Video
This used to be my favorite video place in Austin, mainly because it was extremely close to where I live and the Vulcan Video off of Guadalupe used to smell terrible, so much so that I couldn't bear to go in there while (I thought) I Luv Video had a very clean scrubbed smell. But then I started to realize that their selection was definitely lacking, when compared to Vulcan. Every time I would go there to rent a movie, it would be checked out while I would find the same movie available at Vulcan. So, when I went back to Vulcan and discovered the disgusting smell had disappeared, the switch was a no brainer. Unlike most people, I haven't had any problems with the staff at I Luv Video and I never found them to be especially condescending or rude. But I just felt like their selection could be a little better, though, granted, I'm not checking out very obscure films. But I know that, if I want to find a movie, there's a better chance that will happen elsewhere.
Fee Fie Foe Fum,
I smell the smell of an alcoholic bum.
Lots of great videos..
But they REALLY need to do something about that smell.
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So, you're new to Austin. You've hit the film festivals, and The Alamo Drafthouse, and now your looking to settle in and toss in some videos. Where do you go?
The answer is: two stores. The first, I Luv Video--even though I live out in Dripping Springs--is essentially my go to place. I drag my printout in there every week and I hit the racks. Whether it's Zatoichi (the original Japanese tv series), or The Criterion Collection DVD area, or my fave part of the shop--the clerk smartass reviews (I wish they had more of those) I am sold on I Luv Video. I wish they'd would attempt be a tad more helpful. Maybe the universally tattoed-up clerk staff could muster up the strength to leave the cage once in a while. Still, I hit this place 80% of the time. The other 20% . . .
....I'm at to Vulcan Video. Sure, It's a bit of a dump. No surprise considering it's revolving door of employee staff (usually unbearable, if high, or coming off one), and its mostly shirtless and shoeless clientele. But, is has a Shaw Bros section (which I Luv Video apparently refuses to add), better Foreign section by Director and it wins in the Television series section.
This assumes you're not really looking for New Releases. Both stores carry only two copies of most new releases. In all honesty, and it pains me to admit this, but it is necessary to have Blockbuster card for this very reason and how can you beat no late fees?
So, go to I Luv Video, supplement that account with Vulcan Video. Get all new releases (unless you're looking for foreign or documentary titles) at Blockbuster.
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Have you ever seen a movie where the people who work in the video rental store are way into movies and know everything you ever wanted to know about the video you rented or are looking for? Well you have found your place. I love renting here but unfortunately its too far away from my house to go there all the time. That and the fact that the last time I rented from here I forgot to return the DVD's for like a few months for which they happily charged my credit card. But hey, I added a few DVDs to my collection and also get wicked mean stares for stealing their copy of "Journeys with George" and "American Mullet"
For those of you who can't deal with these kinds of people best stick to your online ordering and blockbuster rentals or else be prepared to be eaten alive.
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Great place, This past x-mas was my first time going there and I must admit I can't believe I went four years of college without going to this place. there is great selection and the price is great. I recommend this one or the one Airport Blvd.
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This is a great rental place, with super annoying staff. I know that college kids need jobs, but does that give them an excuse to be rude and pretentious? Most of the times I've been in there, the staff has been very standoffish, unfriendly and unhelpful. As a customer, I shouldn't be punished for going to a place that happens to be near campus. I would drive out of my way to go to the airport location if I wanted to rent that badly.
Thank god for Netflix.
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I heart you, I Heart Video.
I practically lived at I Heart for the first five years I lived in Austin. It was right around the corner from my house, right next to Spiderhouse, and just a couple blocks away from Wheatsville. The movie selection is broad, and set up by genre, director, language, and even time period. I went through my 80's Cult Hit phase with the assistance of I Heart, and learned all about the genius of Robert Altman the same way. The ecstatic review on the front of the newly released Donnie Darko helped change my life forever. I loved the I Heart cat (I think her name was Stella) and the employees were always friendly and helpful. I went there back when Mike from Explosions in the Sky still worked at the counter. Dude deserves all his success - he's such a nice guy.
Why did I stop going to I Heart? I married the manager of Waterloo Video. (Well, he wasn't manager yet, but it happened within the year.) I never liked Waterloo as much as I loved I Heart, but my new husband was bringing home free movies, and I didn't want to hurt his feelings. What was I supposed to do?
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I Luv Video is a perfect place to rent a movie if you want to watch something very random (and maybe rent a porn, too). I love to rent an absurd movie just for out of the curiosity and this is the place. It has so many movies that Blockbuster would NEVER EVER put on the shelves. Seriously. They usually have every hard-to-find movie you were looking for, but there was only one time that they failed to stock was the Black Christmas (1974 version). What the hell. I hope they will add it to their list after I requested it. Anyways, please try to wander into this place and find a most fucked-up movie and have fun watching it at home.
Oh p.s. I Luv Video is definitely not a Blockbuster, so don't expect the new movie releases at this place! The movies are mostly foreign, vintage, cult classic, and stoners.
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Hands down the best video store in town. Not only can you cheaply rent new, obscure, foreign, even dirty films, but you can order just about anything you want. AND for people like me who obsessively collect DVD's you can get all kinds of great deals here for amazing prices. WAY better than buying used DVD's at Half Price Books.
Oh did I mention that it is right by Spider House which is a little slice of perfection itself? Or that you can get free beer on Tuesdays to sip some cold brew while shopping?
Yes this place is in a great neighborhood surrounded by some of the coolest places in the city. This IS AUSTIN.
Check it out....oh yeah they are open till 3am.
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Do you know how hard it is to get ahold of My So-called Life? A friend gave me the VHS tapes of the first 12 episodes and after watching those I had to figure out how to get the last shows. I have Netflix and it's not on there. I drove to the Hollywood, Blockbuster in my area and they didn't have it either. I had to drive all the way downtown to I Luv Video and of course they had it. I knew they would. So if you're looking for something that you can't find anywhere else, this place probably has it.
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I luv video has the best selection of foreign movies in Austin. They carry everything! It is kinda hard for an Asian girl to get her fix of Bi or Nicholas Tse in a town over run with Blockbusters, but by golly, I luv video has got it!
My only complaint is some of the staff is not too friendly. One employee shouted at me over the phone, pretended to be a manager, then hung up on me.
I would usually never return to a place that treats their customers so horribly, but they have such awesome Korean movie selections. =0(
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I love the location, love that it's local business, love that the prices are cheap, all in all, great...and who else carries such critically acclaimed films like "Turkish Star Wars" and "Filipino Wonderwoman"???
Also, getting a membership at I Luv Video made me incredibly sad I gave away my VHS. They have lots of gold on VHS...
Downfall? Is it just me or does it seem that they are almost always out of the movie that you went there to rent? Maybe the Airport location has more in stock..
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So here's the story about how I came to love I Heart Video.
For months, I'd heard a surprising number of people talking about Veronica Mars. Who is this person and why is everyone talking about her?! Come to find out, Veronica Mars is a UPN-turned-WB-turned-CW hit about a wise-cracking, incredibly attractive 17-year-old private investigator who solves crimes alongside her equally smart-ass father in the imaginary, but all-too-real Neptune, California. The show is amazing and has a cult-like following. Wait...what am I reviewing again?
Anyway, I'm a Netflix girl, so I went ahead and ordered Season 1, Disc 1 to see what all the fuss was about. Well, my friends, if you're a true Veronica addict, you know the pilot episode is simply fantastic. Most pilots are horrible, but we generously give the benefit of the doubt so shows like Friends and SATC can go on for many, many seasons. (C'mon...did you SEE the Friends' pilot? Whoa.)
The pilot episode led to what can only be described as borderline seclusion. We (being me and Corinne, who luckily became a bit of an addict herself) proceeded to watch every episode on the disc. At this point, Netflix was not working for me, but AGAINST me. I NEEDED to see more Veronica Mars. C'mon! We want to know who killed Lilly!
So I go to my neighborhood Hollywood Video, WHICH I happen to enjoy for their proximity to my home and decent selection. No Veronica. Then I move on to the The Movie Store. No Veronica. But here's the creepy thing.....someone had rented it TWO HOURS before I came running in. So I came to the rather irrational and somewhat paranoid conclusion that someone else in Hyde Park had also holed themselves up with Veronica and had been thinking more quickly than I (ironically enough, this was all happening during the great "Ice Storm 2007").
So in the back of my head, I hear a tiny voice. It's my friend Ryan, coaxing me to drive down the street to I Heart Video. Of course! The place where they cut up old Blockbuster cards! Yes!
Sure enough, not ten minutes later, I had successfully rented the remainder of Season 1 and ALL of Season 2 (yes, I'm an asshole, but I knew that other Hyde Parker was gonna need his/her fix soon and I felt threatened).
So I am a member and frequenter of I Heart Video and I would highly recommend it to anyone. And not because they have a great selection (they do), a ton of television on DVD (they do), or decent prices and a nice staff (of course they do). Solely because they share my love for Veronica Mars.
Best of Austin.
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Whenever I am looking for a specific movie that cannot be found anywhere in Austin, ten bucks says I can find it at I Love Video. Once I had to perform a scene in acting class based on a movie of an obscure 80's woman and a blind man. I searched every blockbuster and Hollywood video and came up empty handed, until I called I love Video. They had it . In stock. It made my acting teachers and my day. The staff is helpful and knowledgeable. I have a feeling if I were to call and say, I'm looking for a movie involving this random actor in this random situation that they would not know exactly what movie I was looking for, but have it in stock.
With a video store, thats a good feeling to have.
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Looking for that banned copy of "Battle Royale"? Perhaps you want to familiarize yourself with the little-known documentaries of Todd Phillips, from before his "Old School" directing days. Maybe you even want to get your hands on one of the only remaining VHS copies of "The Song Of The South." (If you're already lost and have no idea what I'm talking about, read no further.)
In a word, I Luv Video (because it is Luv, not Love) is awesome. If you can't find it on NetFlix, you'll find it here. The only thing better than I Luv on The Drag (which is Guadalupe for you non-locals) is the Airport location. If this store makes you crap your pants in excitement, then the Airport one will make your brain melt. They have a copy of "The Monster Squad" there.
The organization of the movies is all over the place, but why wouldn't you want to spend a couple hours going through this place? One of the last, truly great independent video stores around.
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The ONLY place to go for videos in Austin. How cool is it that they have Free Beer Tuesdays and Wino Wednesdays? On Third Thursdays they also have a special to let you pay off your late charges - for Half Price.
Lets see.. what can you find here?
- new Hollywood releases - check
- Hong Kong action movies - check
- bollywood movies - check
- 70s sexploitation films - check
- criterion collection stuff - check
- anime - check
- pr0n - check
- weirdo Japanese TV shows - check
I Luv Video == Solid. Best Video Store(s) EVAR.
Second location on Airport just south of 51st St.
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The sign to this place always confused me. There's a crack in the middle of the heart which always led me to ask myself "Is it I Love Video, or I Don't Love Video?" No matter. I'm just confused. Believe me, there are many other confusions that need more of my attention.
I Love Video is the place to check out for films that you're not going to find anywhere else. A great local video store, the rentals are reasonably priced and you'll find just about whatever you need here.
Forget Blockbuster. Make it an I Love Video night.
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what can i say? this place is like the other location on airport, just amazing.
FREE BEER TUESDAY!
like i said about the other store.
good selections up the wazoo! EVERYTHING, including foreign flicks to explotiotation.... and... PORN
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Amazing selection, knowledgable staff, great "employee notes" on movie shelves (sarcasm and raves about certain movies), and the atmosphere is the very essence of Austin.
...oh.. and they have lots of MST3Ks not available in stores as well ;)
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I Love Video is one my my two favorite video rental places -- ever! I haven't been to a Blockbuster or Hollywood Video in about two years, because between Vulcan and I Love Video I have everything I need.
I Love Video has a HUGE selection of movies. You can find something more recent and popular, or really old and really obscure. The sections are labeled clearly, and there are a lot more options than at other stores. I've found classic comedy, anime, zombie films, cult classics, and foreign films here that many other places just don't have.
The employee comments are a great idea; they're funny, and they've kept me away from several movies that would have been a waste of time and directed me to others that were a nice surprise.
If you have the choice between a store like Blockbuster and I Love Video, it's worth your time to give I Love Video a try.
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There was time in my life when I went to I Luv Video at least twice a week, each time renting three or more movies. I especially love their extensive selection of old TV shows like The Prisoner and UFO (pronounced oo-foe). Now that I've moved south I no longer have that pleasure. Thank you I Luv Video, for supporting my horrifying addiction.
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