Henry Gregson recounts visiting Howard Hughes Video Rental with his family. He talks about their genre sections, their catalogue, and talking to employees about film and getting their recommendations. He mentions that he would keep a log of the films he had watched on a website to keep track of what movies he and his friends had watched. He discusses how his love of movies has impacted his current profession. He talks about the communal aspect of a video rental store and how it contributed to Moscow. He remembers his understanding of the transition for the store into a co-op.

Monique Lillard: There we go all right, we should be recording.

Monique Lillard: So for the recording I am monique lillard I am hired by the University of Idaho.

Monique Lillard: library to do an oral History project regarding the video store here in Moscow, it is April 21 2021 I just realized I forgot to say that in the other one but uh well.

Monique Lillard: um.

Monique Lillard: let's see what happens it'll work out, I think.

Monique Lillard: So, have you signed the waiver release that I sent you.

Monique Lillard: Yes, good that's what I thought would you state your name and your age for the recording.

Henry Gregson: Yes, thing i'm Henry gregson I am 23.

Monique Lillard: Very good, very good so.

Monique Lillard: How and when did you find out about the video rental store here in Moscow, or do you ever remember not having such a store.

Henry Gregson: I don't honestly like I remember when the store was across the street from the Co op before it's like entire renovation and like relocation and like I remember going there forever I grew up in Moscow, so it was it was definitely like a hot spot for us, and my family growing up.

Monique Lillard: How often would you visit the store.

Henry Gregson: At least we would visit the store at least once a week, especially beginning once I started doing like the $5 for five days and five movies, and so forth, and.

Henry Gregson: yeah but I mean we would go there all the time, my family that was a big thing we were we always watched a lot of movies, instead of TV.

Henry Gregson: And just because, like we were out in the country and had a horrible connection to like any network, and so we would just always rent movies, like every single week.

Monique Lillard: And what was your favorite section.

Henry Gregson: I don't even know as a as a kid definitely like I was always into the blockbusters naturally but, as I grew older I definitely.

Henry Gregson: My family, we were always in like the award the Academy award sections like it was kind of they had like a little regimen they were trying to prep me and like expose me to all the you know great films and everything like that so.

Monique Lillard: yeah yeah that's so funny we had that know our child has to have seen this movie to see that yeah.

Henry Gregson: checklist like a checklist.

Henry Gregson: Exactly I remember, as I like started to have like a little bit more autonomy and I would go there with friends, instead of my parents.

Henry Gregson: Like during high school, we definitely had fun like going through the editors PICs as well and, just like going to those like kind of niche sections and I don't know yeah it was cool to learn about.

Monique Lillard: yeah yeah.

Monique Lillard: I think you were saying you were talking about the one at the video store location that was across from the food, where the food co op is now right.

Monique Lillard: Right Do you remember when it moved to the main street location.

Henry Gregson: I do, I don't remember like what what year that was but I mean I have, I have a fairly vivid memories of like the ongoing construction and renovation and being so excited about it for sure.

Henry Gregson: And it looks great like that I thought the renovation, I thought that new location was so it looks so inviting and I don't know it became like a little bit more of like a like a place to go and visit, rather than just like logistically like go and get movies, you know what I mean yeah.

Monique Lillard: yeah that's a nice that's a nice memory yeah um did you ever go to other video stores, besides Howard Hughes.

Henry Gregson: um um we went to there was there was a blockbuster in Moscow right.

Monique Lillard: So yeah.

Henry Gregson: I think we went to that for like so you know, occasionally, but we didn't frequent it like half as often as we did Howard Hughes in the video co op.

: Right.

Henry Gregson: yeah it was all it was all the Co op.

Monique Lillard: There was also Hastings to remember that story out in the mall they rented videos and a whole lot of stuff in there.

Henry Gregson: Yes, yes, and like we went there, but not for like video Rentals just for like other media, you know stuff like that.

Monique Lillard: Right right yeah yeah.

Monique Lillard: What did you think about the collection, that was at Howard Hughes.

Henry Gregson: I thought that the cure the curation and their collection was so cool I thought I mean I felt that they were like they.

Henry Gregson: Successfully stocked all the you know big blockbuster movies, and like we're up to date with everything, but then I just loved like.

Henry Gregson: How specific their genre selection was and how in depth, you could go and like.

Henry Gregson: Every all the employees were always incredibly knowledgeable as well, and so I remember having a lot of conversations just being like I like these types of movies, and then sending me to some like last location in the store, you know, like.

Henry Gregson: um, and so I don't know it was it was really cool I love like they're the different platforms, like the horror section was in its own little like ALCOVE I remember frequenting that a lot, when I was in high school for sure.

Monique Lillard: yeah yeah.

Henry Gregson: And it was always just like fun to explore, you know.

Monique Lillard: What was the most important person in the in the store and you don't have to know their name, but if you know their name that's fine, but it just by position or anything, what do you think.

Henry Gregson: um I always thought I always thought I mean the front desk person was always so kind and always really knowledgeable and then I.

Henry Gregson: I remember, I mean I actively went up and engage with them pretty regularly, just like asking them questions because I used to be, you know.

Henry Gregson: In high school, I was like I love like documenting the films and like there is this online site where me and my friends were like trap log films that we would watch and like sometimes just review them for fun, you know.

Henry Gregson: And so, like, I was always trying to engage with with the front desk people because I knew they were way smarter than I was you know.

Henry Gregson: And so yeah yeah they were always great, and I mean everyone like people that were just like stalking videos and stuff they were always really helpful, it was cool yeah.

Monique Lillard: yeah I did not know about this site oh yeah.

Monique Lillard: I didn't hear that last thing you just said what you just said.

Henry Gregson: I just don't I didn't know I can't remember any any specific names of the apple.

Henry Gregson: yeah stone.

Monique Lillard: That doesn't that doesn't matter, I did not know about this site, what was the name of the site and what would you do on there, and is it publicly accessible.

Henry Gregson: I don't know I mean it probably is it's kind of like this it's called letterboxed um and it's like just it's kind of like a.

Henry Gregson: it's almost like social media, but just for film logging, you can just follow like friends and reviewers that you like tend to agree with and enjoy.

Henry Gregson: And then it's like it kind of acts as like a diary log so like you can like log every movie that you watch with a rating and like with some commentary, if you want, you know.

Henry Gregson: Whether it just be for yourself or for other people, you know we weren't like trying to you know write like these really professional reviews or anything we were just kind of having fun.

Henry Gregson: Like you know writing some goofy comments about every movie we watched to like kind of remember it compare.

Monique Lillard: That is great, I would have been doing that for years and years.

Monique Lillard: And years cuz i'm always trying to keep track of what i've seen it i've never know and I.

Monique Lillard: know.

Henry Gregson: Like cool yeah we weren't yeah I discovered that through the ellsworth brothers honestly.

Henry Gregson: Like yep yep.

Monique Lillard: yeah yeah.

Henry Gregson: And so, he was there a time I would go there with forest all the time and just because he was such a film buff and I remember he I think he tried to work there for a little bit and did work there, and maybe for a short a brief stint and yeah I don't know it a lot yeah it's.

Monique Lillard: Okay, and my intention is to interview him, he has said yes through.

Monique Lillard: My son since we're talking to the future here i'll just say my son, who is also your good friend and, and so I think that's going to happen so.

Monique Lillard: that's cool that is so cool so now, what are you doing now and and now the reason i'm asking is and did the video store in any way affect what you're currently doing.

Henry Gregson: Yes, I would say, I thought about that a little bit before this interview i'm i'm in nashville Tennessee I am doing music down here I run I just like right now i'm running sound at a venue um but recently i've been.

Henry Gregson: Writing like instrumental kind of like somatic music, with some friends of mine down here for like sync submissions and opportunities and licensing stuff.

Henry Gregson: And so, like watching so many movies greatly impacted the style of of what i'm writing, and what I enjoy you know it kind of like rekindled my love for movies, in fact, just like because this is all fairly recent that i've been running writing for sink.

Henry Gregson: And so, like yeah I mean I remember it like all I remember, being a kid even before I was deeply into music, just like always taking note of set movie soundtrack and scores and composers and everything like that, and you know, listen to them and and still do so so yeah.

Monique Lillard: I remember a big wall of music documentaries, did you go did you watch all of those and.

Henry Gregson: Yes, my parents and I watched a loads of that was absolutely um yeah similar to how they had like a checklist, for you know movies, that I needed to learn like they had a checklist of musicians that I needed to learn.

: yeah.

Henry Gregson: Like you know.

Henry Gregson: I remember watching, like all the.

Henry Gregson: Bob dylan and Rolling Stones and you know the Beatles and Tom petty and all of like the you know.

Henry Gregson: Sun studios and all you know stax records which i've been fortunate to now that I live in the south had been fortunate enough to visit and.

Monique Lillard: saw is that the movie muscle shoals or is that somewhere up.

Monique Lillard: yeah that's yeah.

Henry Gregson: Yes.

Monique Lillard: I think Alabama, I think, but yeah I don't remember the names of the studio so.

Monique Lillard: yeah but that's cool.

Henry Gregson: I think muscle shoals is its own thing stax records, I know is separate and sun studios I can't remember exactly where that is but.

Monique Lillard: yeah yeah.

Monique Lillard: yeah that's really nice that's really nice and why do you think the video store struggled and ultimately met its demise what's your analysis of that.

Henry Gregson: I think it was like it within the Moscow Community I feel like it was pretty relevant, it was a pretty relevant store for so long.

Henry Gregson: And it did come kind of come out of the blue, when I heard that was going to be shutting down, but I mean ultimately I think it's because of you know, the just the digital movement and digital age, and like moving into streaming platforms.

Henry Gregson: And I remember when like netflix first came out and where they could like you know you could get mailed DVDs and everything like that um.

Henry Gregson: I just remember yeah I remember so many people, at least in high school beginning that you know and just like slowly moving into the streaming platforms and everything like that and I guess I just didn't I mean how in some regards it's like, how can you compete compete you know yeah.

: i'm not yeah.

Monique Lillard: i'm curious what we've lost by the shattering of the video store and I guess when I say we first, the first part of that question is what has Moscow Idaho lost, in other words, what did it have and what didn't lose.

Monique Lillard: And then the second question will be, what is the world losing by moving on to stream streaming so.

Henry Gregson: Well, and I think, and I think like a video store, I mean can be competitive in similar facets to like public libraries.

Henry Gregson: Just like access to like these kind of cultural centers of.

Henry Gregson: I mean, education and entertainment and like forming a Community around those centers rather than like.

Henry Gregson: You know, just like having these really individual experiences on your laptop with streaming platforms and stuff like that i'm.

Henry Gregson: Just because, like you're not having you're not you're not necessarily having as many conversations and I would also say that I mean the the video store had so many more movies, then streaming platforms in some regards you know.

Henry Gregson: The curation was like a lot more intentional and I don't know at least it felt it felt more intentional so.

Henry Gregson: I think yeah similar to like a public library, just like I said, just like the color the communal bonding over like a place of entertainment and also education is you know that's that's what's kind of getting lost.

: mm hmm.

Monique Lillard: Do you worry with streaming.

Monique Lillard: about your loss of privacy, I mean, presumably, whatever the platform is is keeping track.

Monique Lillard: Presumably, if the government said tell me what Henry graduates and watched eventually they'd give it up to the government.

Monique Lillard: Possibly they'd give it over to advertisers I you know I don't know what they say they do, and whatever they say they could change does that bother you or not and i'm trying to ask everyone under 40 speaking with.

Henry Gregson: I can understand why it does, but it why it is bothersome and, like in principle, yes it's bothersome.

Henry Gregson: In reality, it doesn't bother me I just like don't have you know what I mean i've just kind of accepted that that's how the structure operates and that's how capitalism works right now.

Henry Gregson: And like I buy into these streaming platforms knowingly you know, maybe not on not on like a really large scale, but you know I just just like you're saying, like, I know that they probably sell my information and preferences and like have you know.

Henry Gregson: To form like new business structures and in that regard it's like I don't care I you know I don't have anything that's just how it operates I guess what if it came to I don't even know.

Henry Gregson: If it came to other things of you know I maybe I feel differently, but i'm not entirely sure you know yeah.

Monique Lillard: yeah I understand I understand, did you used to watch the special features on DVDs and are you missing them.

Henry Gregson: I would watch some special features and, like the extra scenes I do miss those I feel like again Moving onto the platform like YouTube in some regards has like is is the special feature like you know behind the scenes footage is like the special features on YouTube you know.

Henry Gregson: Nowadays, like, but I do yeah I do miss it because, like, I remember watching you know watching an awesome movie and just like wanting to.

Henry Gregson: be invested in the universe, even more so, and scrolling through like the special features extra scenes you know interviews with Members on the DVD and just felt even more like personalized you know what I mean and you just became like more engrossed I feel like in the in the experience.

Monique Lillard: yeah got it.

Monique Lillard: Yes, so were you very aware of the process of going cooperatives, so you know it was owned by private individuals and then it went to this cooperative structure did that.

Monique Lillard: Really enter your consciousness much or not.

Henry Gregson: I that was, I think that was around my junior year of high school or so, and so I was fairly aware of it, and I was you know, I was really happy because I.

Henry Gregson: From maybe I misunderstood, but like maybe the I had heard that the private individual was going under.

Henry Gregson: There wasn't enough to like support the business, and so, like the Moscow Community kind of bought it out came together to buy it out and like you know have it be alive and I thought that was an awesome a great movement, you know what I mean I was about that I was really sad to see.

Henry Gregson: it's all you know, although it did keep it alive, you know and i'm sure it was a struggle.

Henry Gregson: But I was really I was really pleased to hear about that I remember that happening in high school.

Monique Lillard: For sure yeah yeah well and, in fact, the reason i'm interviewing you is a lot of those meetings about that were at our House and you were passing through.

Monique Lillard: And I remembered you just spontaneously said, I think, in the kitchen and all these people were in the living room and you said oh I love that place I just love it.

Monique Lillard: And I said, would you walk five steps and say that, to this group of people, because we need to hear that you know all these people were saying oh young people don't care and.

Monique Lillard: I said oh look he's right here, so, and so I thought oh i'm gonna talk to you about this and get you recorded saying it so.

Henry Gregson: Absolutely no I have such positive experiences with with a mosque and video co op and in the private business beforehand, just like the whole movie experience in general I just loved and I loved having that be a part of the Community.

Henry Gregson: I think it is like what.

Henry Gregson: That is like a small facet of what keeps Moscow kind of unique and compelling and engaging you know, even though it's like considered to be a rule town, you know.

Henry Gregson: yeah I don't know.

Monique Lillard: What yeah what component i'm interested in that you just said it's part of what keeps Moscow engaging and what do you mean and what what all are you thinking of.

Henry Gregson: It like you know, not that I have great experience and travel, but like Dr just be going through a lot of other rural towns, whether it be in the south and the north.

Henry Gregson: You know, Moscow really is special despite its like smallest it has, like so many outlets and opportunities to like explore entertainment and.

Henry Gregson: You know, felt, whether it be, film, music books everything like it it not every that's really special and I definitely took it took it for granted, after moving around a little bit more, you know.

Henry Gregson: And so I just like public libraries, you know book people the video co op I just feel like that you know the cultural hubs to celebrate like the arts in general, what are what Moscow, what makes Moscow, so you need.

Monique Lillard: yeah yeah Do you remember the micro theater I think you might not but.

Henry Gregson: I don't know if I do.

Monique Lillard: Okay, it was that it's a little house that's now a tattoo parlor.

Monique Lillard: And a massage place down.

Monique Lillard: toward pullman on third street.

Monique Lillard: Okay, and I don't think I don't think you would remember it, but the kenworthy, of course, shows what I was called movies for grown ups on the weekend, I mean when it's not covert Okay, presumably, this is going to start back up again, you know and it becomes this.

Monique Lillard: it's not the not the blockbuster shoot him up type movies, but it's sort of fun to sit there in that room and watch if you have you done that, when you're back in town or do your parents drive in.

Henry Gregson: movie I have with my parents for sure um, especially during the weekends, I mean that yeah they might be, whatever ones to like.

Henry Gregson: Love like the you know marvel Cinematic universe, and like the big blockbuster movies, like we're always into they were always into the weekend movies, and I play being a routine.

Henry Gregson: Not not you know, not for every week, but like for celebrations and celebratory moments, we would definitely go to the movies, and it was really cool you know, and especially in Moscow, you see so many people that you know.

Henry Gregson: At the kenworthy you know you can have like long talks afterwards and hang out.

Monique Lillard: that's really cool yeah yeah that is cool um let me see if I make sure I didn't miss anything well do you have any happy or funny specific memories of the store anything come to mind.

Monique Lillard: Even stories you've heard.

Henry Gregson: I don't even I don't not necessarily specific stories i'm just i've so many moments of just like engaging with the store with so many different people you know.

Henry Gregson: In my life, like so many different friend groups like growing up accessing the store for different reasons, you know.

Henry Gregson: And and coming like from totally with totally different prerogatives, for what they want to watch and like, whether it be.

Henry Gregson: entertained or for school or for you know I just remember going to their to the store so regularly and I don't know it's really cool yeah i'm sorry I don't have any specific like.

Monique Lillard: You don't need to session I asking that question, I always think Oh, nobody will remember anything and some strange stuff has come out, so I just always throw it in.

Monique Lillard: for good measure so yeah.

Monique Lillard: Anything else I should have asked you or anything else you'd like to say.

Henry Gregson: I miss it I wish we had it back um.

Henry Gregson: yeah it was great it was such a it was a such a celebration celebration like spot of celebration for the arts and for movies it's definitely where I developed a lot of my own tastes and like.

Henry Gregson: Identifying qualities, you know with what I enjoy it, whether it be music and film and, in general, so yeah.

Henry Gregson: cool well that's that's.

Monique Lillard: that's good that's good is there anybody else we should be speaking to, as I say, i've got forest on the list already so.

: i'm.

Henry Gregson: i'm trying to think I mean Luke Luke would definitely be my other.

Henry Gregson: Companies directly involved.

Henry Gregson: and

Monique Lillard: he's later today so i'm happy go triple zoom day so.

Henry Gregson: yeah that's cool.

Henry Gregson: yeah yeah I don't know the ellsworth brothers for sure I remember going there with them honestly I remember going there with an quite kowroski and keep them a flyer for a while, like when an elementary school, we used to always like have these little movie nights together.

Henry Gregson: Because trinity and Keith and.

Monique Lillard: I right.

Henry Gregson: Well there's some other stories to share.

Monique Lillard: yeah yeah okay good i'm going to turn off the recording I want to thank you so much for your time and i'll turn it off, and then we can just say a proper goodbye okay.