Videon

Videon is a legendary DVD and game hire store located on Dominion Road in Mt Eden
Videon is the place to go if you’re looking for slightly off-​beat films, or movies that were never blockbuster hits. Videon also has a great selection of foreign and animé films, as well as old TV shows.
As a child Videon was my local rental store and I can’t begin to imagine how many hours I spent in there pouring of the titles and pleading with my parents to let me get more than one movie. I still head to Videon regularly despite no longer living in the area, as it really is the best place to find classic or quirky movies.
The only unfortunate thing about Videon today is that is used to be located down the Balmoral end of Dominion round in a much bigger store. This of course meant they had a far bigger selection to choose from, however that’s not to take away from what they have now. It’s incredible — check it out!
Bonus: The staff have worked their forever and basically know what they stock off the top of their head. They’re fantastic!

An impressive selection of hard-​to-​get films characterizes Videon as something a little different and special. The shop is towering with DVDs/​Videos of old school, black and white antiques, foreign treats, arty gems and even a few run-​of-​the-​mill classics.
The prices are reasonable, though I wouldn’t say the service was that amazing. They know their stuff, I’ll give them that! It’s miles away from where I live, but I’ll still cruise over there if my need for a particular title is dire. And trust me, the local video stores are not the least bit helpful if you want something other than the latest and greatest.
Videon lives on the ever popular, artistic, Dominion Rd, so while you’re out for a visit, explore this historic, bohemian capital of Auckland.

I miss Videon now it’s moved from its iconic Art Deco building in Balmoral. But it’s worth going a bit further for — hell, even driving across Auckland for.
This is possibly the only place in Auckland that has classic movies on DVD and if you are really old-​school (and fruit loopin crazytown) you might even still be in the market to hire VHS tapes. Most of the new chain video rental places barely have the 80s classics so Videon is such a treasure. The people that work here, while sometimes a bit superior, really do know their stuff and because of that, their recommendations are usually right on the money.
I know over the years there have been hard times and it would be devastating if Auckland ever lost Videon — they are our city’s largest independent film library. Whatever twisted genre you’re after they are bound to have it; Avant-​Garde, Military, Directors’ Cuts, obscure Festival flicks and so much more.

We’ve got to that point where, instead of just automatically joining your local video store, you have to ask yourself — what will this place offer me that the internet can’t? It won’t be price, because stealing movies from the internet is free. And it won’t be range, because it’s the INTERNET. So you go back home, and Video Ezy loses yet another customer.
This is not the case with Videon. What does it offer you that the internet doesn’t? Discernment. The people who work there know their movies to the point of savantism, and can give recommendations based on the tiniest scrap of information you give them. And actually, Videon does compete with the internet in terms of range. The internet will have any number of copies of The Dark Knight Rises, but good luck finding that obscure 1940s French film that was only ever released in Flemish, that you only heard about because Lars von Trier famously hated the director. Videon will have it, along with everything else the director ever did. And The Dark Knight Rises. What more could you want?

As usual I love supporting independent local businesses and Videon is no exception. The reception from the staff wasn’t immediately warm but the guy working when we were there was really helpful and gave an excellent recommendation based on other films he overheard us discussing in the store. Which was helpful because I was trying to explain to my boyfriend that the movie ‘Four Lions’ is «funny, but not. It’s not really funny at all, but it’s, well, funny. Okay, so it’s funny like ‘In Bruges’ is funny.» Maybe my crap description for a good film was just too much for the guy but he recommended ‘The Guard’ which definitely lived up to the theme of bleak, dark humour.
There is a $ 10 joining fee but don’t let that put you off because you’ll get far superior service compared to any chain video store.
If you’re lucky you can get street parking but there’s on-​site parking behind the shop. Just go up Valley Road and turn into the driveway just before the Countdown.