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so this place has every andy warhol film ever made, or all the ones i wnated to see for that matter. they have all of the cremaster cycle movies - and well like everyone is saying - if you can't find it, you'll probably find it here.
it's also nice when you have a $8 late fee and it gets taken down to $4 on the 15th of every month. yeah, i had to wait till the 15th of the month to rent anything else, but that's my fault.
funny story - my friend, we'll call her sarah, rents a popular movie. she thinks she turned in said popular video. I Luv Video thinks she never returned it. they call her a few times to tell her to bring it back, sarah eventually gets pissed and tells them she turned it in and if they don't believe her just charge her for it and stop hassling her. they do.
so sarah's friend comes into I Luv Video innocently hoping to rent a movie using sarah's name bc blockbuster doesn't have it and she doesn't want to start a new membership when she doesn't even liv here.
sarah's friend gets to the counter, and the clerk dude is pulling up sarah's account and gets this immediate intense look of vengeance - takes the movie from sarah's friend - and says, 'i'm sorry you can't rent that, you're actually not even allowed in here anymore, i'm going to have to ask you to leave.'
LESSON LEARNED - return your videos/don't lose them - it's amusing how this played out like some kind of 50's western where the bartender at the saloon is like 'sir we don't serve your kind here' *pulls out shotgun*
i think its funny, but again, i wasn't on the receiving end of said 'rifle' haha - go independent business hahaha!
not that they need help, but they are expanding and have the most diverse movie selection in all of town. they are getting the tv shows faster than netflix and I am very happy.
They have always been friendly here, and always eager to help!
I was kind of turned off by some other video stores when they pulled the Austin too cool attitude at the register a few times, but this place is different, maybe a place where they accept the perverted , the nerdy, and those who have exorbiant late fines without even giving you a lecture. I do not need to know what a jerk I am for keeping Diary of a MAd Black woman out of the public's hands. okay.
They are just nice here, and I like it
I can't say much that hasn't already been said...Free beer is awesome, Amnesty day is awesome, getting a dollar credit if you return the movie the next day is awesome.
It is hard to find new releases but I'm having fun going through all the movies I've always 'meant to' watch. The reviews on the box are hilarious, if caustic.
I adore all the cut-up Blockbuster cards that decorate the check-out area. I love watching the odd movie of the moment playing on the TVs around the space. Its fun to clearly hear laughter from Cold Town next door.
Never thought I'd say it, but I'm considering canceling my Netflix subscription.
Man, do I luv me some I luv video. I like the way it's organized. I like the easy parking. I love the selection. And I louv the employees. I hate it when video store clerks are too effing hip for you. It's sad to feel judged by your DVD choices. Sometimes I likes me some Bergman and Kurosawa and sometimes I likes me some shitty HBO shows. These guys are cool. The best thing: read their tiny little reviews on the new movies. Hilarious.
And DO NOT attempt to climb their spiral staircase if you're "altered." But DO check out their art docs, which are stacked against it.
It doesn't get much more "Austin" than this. We decided to get some classic cartoons for the kids one weekend and I luv video was the only place in town that had a substantial selection. My husband and I have been regular customers ever since. The reviews are hilarious, prices are reasonable, and the selection of cult films is unmatched by any place I've seen in Cali, NY, or TX.
This place really is just awesome. They have almost any movie you can think of...and they have them organized very well. The people there know their movies, and are usually in a good mood. They have movies to rent or buy, and an easy way to start a membership.
Its very Austin. I love going here.
Netflix can suck my dvdick
Not much to be expanded on considering the other reviews, but my favorite feature of I Luv is the "Alphabetical by Director" section located upstairs.
The prices are great, but finding a newish release proves difficult. This is definitely the stop for retro movie night with the shorty, or if you own a scenester bar that plays satiric movies on a 32" Magnavox.
This place is really cool. Everything about it seems like it is made for people who are depth-fully interested in movies. The selection is really huge for a store that appears kinda small on the outside. they have all kinds of sections that are really cool too. like the Godzilla section. or the cartoons sections. I found a bunch of old cartoons that i used to love when i was a kid and my friend said that they had a lot of Godzilla movies never released in America. its just a really well made movie store. Its better than the chain movie stores in many ways. The selection is better, it is much cheaper, the employees are knowledgeable, organization is strong, and the spirit is much more genuine.
When I was there it was my first time and as i was checking out they said that i would have to pay 2.50 for membership. no big deal, i thought. then he says, "but we can waive that if you destroy something corporate" I was confused for a minute then he pointed to the "graveyard" where there were tons of blockbuster cards snipped in two. I immediately pulled out my Hollywood video card and chopped in twain and left with a free membership and a big smile on my face.
I love I Luv! Best video store EVAR.
Free beer Tuesdays! They also have Amnesty Thursdays which is super awesome for all of you slackers who can't return your daggum movies on time, where they slash your fees so you can rent more movies. Turn in your blockbuster card and you get a free membership. Funny comments on the video boxes.
The staff is super knowledgable, sometimes funny and nearly always FINE.
I enjoy their "Staff-Picks" shelves, one of which is currently "Black President Films." The Director shelves are also a nice touch. They have basically any movie you want to see and if they don't, chances are they will order it if you ask them nicely. I Luv on Airport also has an Adult Video section.
I think they should have more store parties. Tip your video store clerk!
Free beer Tuesday is great,
The wall of shame is even better,
No super plastic blockbuster crap.
I have problems going into I Luv Video...... I am simply overwhelmed.
I mean that in a good way! I usually will end up with a huge stack of "wants" and have to reluctantly put 20 movies back.
Awesome classics, fantastic foreigns, groovy cult classics, more gay/lesbian cinema than a breeder like me was aware existed, Anime, tons of independents, and I could go on and on....
The staff are film buffs, and love movies but I've never once experienced a bit of hipster-ness or snobbery from them, and that's becoming a rarity in Austin these days. Love these guys, love this place.
The best video store I've ever been to. I could spend a couple months simply on a single genre in this place.
Awesome:
Some employees are psychic, they know what you're looking for and they just ordered it two days ago. (True story!) Hard to find stuff is easy to find. Always entertaining vids on the CC screens. Extremely knowledgeable staff. Skate videos! Director sections. Free beer Tuesdays. Dog friendly. Tons of stuff I did not know existed. They carry flicks that Netflix really wants to carry but can't seem to pull it off. The experience. So much more.
Bogus: Sometimes the DVD's are rough, as in skipping.
I hate this store.
My seminal years of catching up on the culture that any urban dwelling teen/young adult could attain with ease was fraught with hours of solo road trips to scour the rural countryside of Appalachia for strange/classic/foreign titles. These were not erudite video stores, folks; these were stores catering to a populous inclined towards the blockbuster du jour. The movies of interest that I would happen upon were usually the remnants of stock bought from other, more metropolitan centers or had titles that fooled the store buyers with titillation or raunchy reputation (Last Tango in Paris). I'm guessing that sometimes they would order a movie thinking it was a remake and ending up with a superior original version by mistake. ("This Frank'nstein idn't even in color! Dag nabbit!")
On a red-letter day I would rent an armload then watch what I could and dub the rest before having to make the trip to return them again (usually) the next day. This went on every free day for years. (Eventually, I would have exhausted every possible venue and have to make the even lengthier trek to the big city for a while.)
Why not just buy videos? Well- it was actually cheaper back then to play it this way as gas was around a dollar a gallon (the nineties), I wouldn't know where or how (pre-internets in that neck o' the woods), and mail order usually required a credit card or a checking account for purchase anyway...neither of which I had. But most of all, I actually enjoyed the chase. I never got to see exactly what I wanted to watch when I wanted- It was, rather, catch as catch can- but it was an experience bordering euphoric to find that rare The General, Freaks, or Seven Samauri.
Those days are long gone.
I Luv Video has everything.
(...le sigh...)
Love it.
Since Waterloo video closed this is the place. So many movies. So much. And the staff is friendly and helpful.
And free beer tuesdays.
I brought a friend in here and he said, "why does anyone ever go to Blockbuster?"
Exactly
From the recondite to the absurd, I Luv Video is truly a glorious treasure trove of cinematic esoterica.
Try this. Roll through the aisles grabbing movies at random. Witness the weird delights! What have you grabbed?
The new Takashi Miike perhaps? An excellent choice! (Just don't eat anything first).
Ahhhh, volume 14 of the Power Rangers DVD back catalog. A true classic!
And what's this? Why it's that bracing new docudrama on the underground world of 1970s Yugoslavian mime porn. A definite Sundance contender!
Yes, I guarantee you'll find every movie you never knew you wanted. And then some.
I Luv Videos made my kids cry today.
It's my fault. Sometime last year, we managed to rack up $70 in late fees (don't ask). Yowch. Then my mother gave my kids a thrift store VCR for Xmas. Naturally, I take them to ILV, because I believe in supporting cool local businesses and in real-life interactions and experiences. And it's close to us.
That's when i found out about the $70. OK. The first time, I paid $10 and we rented a few kid vids. Then the next time I paid another $10 or so. The last time, they didn't ask for anything toward our late fees (extra tip for you, staff!).
Today my boys selected Dr. Suess' Lorax and a classic Tom & Jerry video. The staffer (a manager?) said that I had to pay $27 to rent them because I had to pay half of our balance. Yowch again. Fee Amnesty Day was only two days away; I told my boys we couldn't check them out for another two days.
Lip quivers. Tears. More tears. The manager/staff person looked sorry but didn't offer options--it was $27 or no videos. I wasn't about to tell him that other staffers had let us slide for less, for fear they might get reprimanded.
My boys cried their way out the door. More tears in the car. And at home -- at one point my 3yo collapsed on the floor, a puddle of tears.
A good life-lesson in disappointment and delaying gratification I guess.
But a bit cold hearted, I Heart Video.
Wow I love this place. Not much to say that hasn't already been said.
They have everything, it's cheap, it isn't soul-sucking like Blockbuster, and I find the staff to be super nice. They are never condescending to me even when I come in week after week to rent episodes of Lost, my secret guilty pleasure.
I don't know what bad things I can say about the people who have provided me with dvds of some my favorite programs - Arrested Development and...cough cough... Alias.
My exposure to some of the best movies around has been seriously helped by none other than I Luv Video.
And they weren't haters when I noticed (and then purchased) the $7.00 used copy of Never Been Kissed. Come on, it's a really cute movie.
Employees are super knowledgeable and helpful. I love reading the reviews taped onto the boxes. Hillarious. 1/2 price off of late fees on Amnesty day the 15th of each month is really helpful. They let you keep renting and hold off till amnesty day if you like. It used to be Amnesty Thursdays but now just once a month. Parking can be tough when Coldtowne is busy next door. Oh yeah free beer tuesdays. Nice.
I already wrote a glowing review of the Guadalupe location. Same goes for this location. Best Video Store EVAR.
A couple of quick comments to differentiate between the Airport store from the Guadalupe location.
The Airport store:
- only open until Midnight
- much larger selection of Anime
- better selection of pr0n
- not as many comments on the boxes
- much closer to Mrs. Johnsons Donuts
I. Love. Video.
This is the most amazing video store I've ever been into. You can find absolutely anything that your little heart desires. I've been catching a lot of crap from some of my friends because I haven't seen many of the random 80s movies that everyone and their mother has...so I hit up I Love Video. They had all of the movies that I needed to see (some of them on VHS only, though...I didn't have a VCR at the time).
On the wall upstairs, the movies are organized by director...I also went through a Coen brothers kick...making movies pretty easy to find. The staff is always incredibly helpful and are incredibly knowledgable about their selection. They are also willing to recommend movies that they think you will enjoy.
I'm endlessly amused by the commentary on the boxes as well as by the cut up Blockbuster cards behind the counter. Also, read the articles and pictures on the counter while you're paying...another one of the little things that amuse me to no end.
Don't forget, either, free beer on Tuesdays!!!
Hands down the best video store of which I've been a member. Seriously.
At first it's overwhelming: it's two stories, chock full of all the categories of things you'll want to watch, some organized by director or subject (old school Hong Kong or nunsploitation, anyone?).
Also: Free Beer Tuesday and Amnesty Day, where your late fees are knocked down to half off. 'Nuff said.
On Friday night I finally made my way down to I Luv Video. It was quite the journey from the Arboretum. Around the time I was sitting at what seemed to be the longest light in the world (Lamar and Airport) I was wondering if it was all worth it. As I pulled up to the place I realized I has seen it before, on one of my visits to Austin before I lived here. Because of the way the building looks, and shady area of town its in, I always thought it was a porn store (not that you won't be satisfied if that's what you are looking for).
I walked in and they were playing the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie, (which was a HUGE part of my childhood) I knew I would love this place. I immediately found my way to the Television section to see if this place lived up to its reputation. What was I on the hunt for? Mystery Science Theater 3000...... a show you are unlikely to find in your local Blockbuster Video. What I saw almost made me tear up. TONS of MST3K episodes! Not only the shows, but the hard to find MST3K Movie! I wondered around picking up movie after movie..... I could have left there with a shopping cart.
Cons? Not really convenient to anywhere.... its definitely out of the way. When I need to return my movie, its going to be quite the drive.
there's one guy that works there that is kind of a dick, but everyone else is super nice and usually full of good conversation.
i'm a huge fan of bad horror movies, so this place is like heaven for me.
1/2 off late fees on the 15th of every month, which is awesome.
i would rather rent my movies from this place than any other i've ever been to.
oh! and the employees write really funny reviews on the movie boxes, which really helps if you're on the fence about a particular movie!
Okay, I go here quite a bit. They have halve your late fees on certain Thursday's and on Tuesday's you get 2 free glasses of beer. If you return a movie early, you get credits for another movie. You get credits for renting movies. I like the selection, and the staff is cool.
But let me just emphasize one point:
FREE BEER TUESDAY.
Why this I Luv Video is better than the other one.
1. large nice and convenient parking lot which is easily accessible off Airport Blvd.
2. not as many college douchebags
3. see #1 again... do you really want to get stuck on Guadalupe where there's usually traffic, busses and construction!
4. it's bigger
5. it's located very near Mrs. Johnsons Donuts, Casey's New Orleans Snowballs, Tamale House, Sound on Sound record store and HEB 41st and Hancock... what more could you ask for?
I do miss the resident kitty who used to live there, though.
See ya on Free Beer Tuesday-
Great for theme nights
This is a movie fanatic's crack house, which is why my film-loving roommates get their fix here every single day. (Can you imagine watching 7 to 10 movies a week? They're real champs...)
They come here for good reason. I mean, this is the video store of my dreams because it has everything - shelves devoted to obscure directors, a room of porn, aisles of anime - and the selection is much broader than the I Love Video on Guadalupe.
By the way, Erica S.'s review is pretty swell, mentioning this place has free beer on Tuesday.
The best of the old-school video store.
In a day and age where netflix and blockbuster online are killing the old brick and mortar video stores, there is a void developing. I am not sad at the passing of the crappy hollywood video and the standard blockbuster, but the place where you can go and see a sticker with the word :"turd" emblazoned across Terry Gilliam's "Tideland" (which is probably the best description for that movie by a director that I love).
This is the kinda place to go when you dont know explicitly what you want to see, because it will inspire you to find something new.
I love their layout, especially with the director wall. I would have given them 5 stars if they had a John Waters shelf, but in the giant maze of all good and some bad directors, they somehow overlook Mr. Waters. I will give some credit for the Hal Hartley section tho.
So next time you have forgotten to send back your netflix movies and want to see something new, something you wouldn't find without the right suggestions and atmosphere, take yourself over to I Luv Video and you will not be disappointed, maybe it will help to convince you to drop down your subscription from 3 to 2 DVD's at a time so you can support this local gem.
My BF is a movie addict. Watches at least one a day, if not more. Owns well over 600 DVDs (almost all special edition of course). God I hate it. I'm just not a big movie person...
Anyways, he S's I Luv Video's D all day long. I mean he practically lives here. But you know what, out of all the movie shit- all the opening day midnight showings, all the Fantastic Fest madness, all the Tuesday Best Buy runs, I Luv Video is my favorite part about his movie hobby. I never get bored in here, I just look around and find all sorts of movies just for me... I love the music wall. And the free beer. Finally, I get to watch the ones that I wanna watch- 4 Bjork DVDs straight.
This place is the bomb. And I mean the one on airport blvd. especially on a Tues. night when they give out free local draft beer while you peruse every movie you never knew existed. It's a dream- totally relaxing to just go up and down the aisles, and up and down the titles listed by director to find something good.
You'll never go there and be turning to your friend and saying, "I don't know, which one do you want to get, I don't really see anything..."
Maybe video stores just aren't for me but I spent almost two hours looking at all of the videos here just to find only two I was interested in.
One I had already seen.
The employees are nice but where are the history films, people? Is there some video store hiding all of the BBC and History Channel DVDs from everyone else? Is history obsolete and I'm just some stick in the mud? :c
This place rocks! This is by far the best video store in town...hello, free beer on Tuesdays! It don't get any better than that. They have a huge selection of films, including hard to find ones. Staff there are really nice and helpful as well. I haven't come in here in awhile though since I started netflixing (I tried so hard not to sign up but couldn't resist!).
I Luv Video is the greatest video store ever. With funny and helpful notes on their many obscure and not so obscure titles and knowledgeable staff you are sure to pick a great flick at low low prices. Don't forget about Free Beer Tuesday and the monthly Amnesty Day (major discount on your late fees).
I love how the clerks will chat with you about anything
I love the movie reviews taped on the boxes
I love free beer Tuesdays even though I don't drink beer
I love the cat
I love the spiral staircase
I love I love video
Somebody else already said it, but I'll say it again: I love I Luv Video.
It's a bit out of my way, but when the alternative is Hollywood Video or Blockbuster's, I'll happily make the drive. It's definitely worth it. One of the most expansive and diverse selections I've ever run across, but with that cool, funky charm so lacking in corporate places, like the little magazine pics and photos taped everywhere, the irreverent employee reviews, and the ever-changing staff picks or seasonal-themed displays.
It's easy to spend an hour or two prowling the aisles (trust me, I've done it), but it's nice to know that even if you come away empty-handed, one of the employees can usually recommend something good to tide you over. Of course, they don't have the vast selection of new movies like Blockbuster or Hollywood, so it can get frustrating if you just HAVE to watch something new THAT NIGHT, but at least on Tuesdays they offer free beer -- probably for that very reason, since that's when they get their new releases.
I also appreciate that they have a director's wall, and a nice big Classics section, not to mention the whole upstairs Foreign area. I thought I was a pretty big movie buff, but looking out over that sea of videos, heck, there's a lot I haven't even heard of. Netflix might have its uses, but I'll take I Luv Video any day.
Best video store in Austin. Additional words are just fluff. Alas - I live way down south and Netflix so it's more like window shopping when I'm in the area. If Netflix has some copyright issues (not formally released in United States) as they play that game pretty straight - you may be able to find it here.
Neighborhood: University of Texas
Category: Videos and Video Game Rental
Neighborhood: 78704 (South Austin)
Category: Videos and Video Game Rental
Austin, TX
Category: Videos and Video Game Rental
Austin, TX
Category: Videos and Video Game Rental
Austin, TX
Category: Shoe Stores
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