Monique Lillard: cloud takes just a minute there we go, we are recording it is Sunday April 25 2021 this is part of the University of Idaho library oral History project regarding the video rental store in Moscow Idaho sometimes called Howard Hughes and then it became mainstream video co op.

Could you state your name for the recording.

kristin kristin at what and have you signed the release.

Yes, excellent, very good, can you just briefly describe your relationship with Howard Hughes video then i'll ask you questions that kind of take you through that.

Christen Atwood: um yeah I rented there all the time when I was in college when I used to live here, and when I moved back.

Still continued to rent.

And through Andrea Beckett heard that it was kind of struggling.

And wanted to help, and then I became a board member so but through that I continue to rent movies there because I loved the store.

Monique Lillard: Great well let's start by talking about you, as a customer.

Christen Atwood: And then move to you as a board member.

Monique Lillard: Okay sounds good.

yeah great so how and when did you first find out about this particular video rental store.

Christen Atwood: In college, you know I don't remember specifically.

Monique Lillard: You are going to do if I.

Christen Atwood: yeah it was you know I started in 2000 so.

I don't remember 20 years ago when I first saw it, but it was when it was.

Where.

just north of the current co op right now.

That was its location and yeah, I just wanted to support the local place and rent movies and appreciated.

You know the way that it was categorized with the award winners and directors and actors and things like that I thought it was really clever and quirky and.

Just appreciated that you know little extra yeah.

Monique Lillard: yeah I know exactly what you mean, and it does dawn on me, I think we're missing the beginning of the Academy awards, even as we're speaking, right now, so are you finding to watch him tonight.

Christen Atwood: i'm probably not I don't have means to watch them.

So you know, sometimes i'll go back and watch him, but I have a six year old that's like the last thing in the world, keep want to watch.

Monique Lillard: got it.

got it.

Okay, so when you were in college in the 2000s Do you remember how often you visited the store.

Christen Atwood: um probably once a month.

Monique Lillard: The month and what was your favorite section.

Christen Atwood: I feel like there was a time when they featured certain actors.

And would have and it wasn't all the time and I don't know if I got carried on because I don't remember that, in the most recent store what was that did they do that, where they had with certain like they would feature an actor put all of their movies there and rotate it.

didn't do that yeah.

Monique Lillard: I think they did so just further for the record for the future, when we're speaking to I I also was on the video cooperative board and that's how I got to know Kristen so I we we know each other from before and we've been around the store together, I think at the new location, they.

Occasionally, would do sort of a carousel for an actor, who had just died or who was just in the news.

And I think they'd sometimes do carousels for holidays, but my recollection is that the old store the bigger store they had certain actors that they just knew people were going to want to see, and they would categorize it that way that's my recollection and directors, I think, too.

Christen Atwood: yeah yeah.

Monique Lillard: Did you visit at that time was called Howard Hughes video did you visit that more than other video stores in town.

And I did remember why.

Christen Atwood: yeah, I just wanted to you know, support the small I was going to school for theater so you know, respecting that world was part of what I did and and that's why I liked it because I had better things to rent.

And so yeah I definitely went there, I think.

I guess there was what blockbuster in Hastings and.

I probably went there a handful of times, but not as much as as Howard Hughes at that time.

Monique Lillard: Do you remember the transition from video to DVD.

Christen Atwood: No.

Monique Lillard: Okay, did you rent DVDs then.

Christen Atwood: I believe so, because that was when I come to college in 2000 and at that point wasn't watching vhs anymore so but no, I mentioned that was fun.

Monique Lillard: yeah well actually though I was going to ask you about the.

DVDs I wondered if you as.

An acting student you.

Would watch all those special features that they would.

have on the BAT you know at the DVD.

yeah making of and the interviews with the actors and all that.

Christen Atwood: and not in every movie but definitely.

yeah i've watched those before.

Monique Lillard: Do you think it affected you as a theater major as a as an actor as.

Christen Atwood: I mean it just gave me more information, you know about it.

made it.

more interesting to watch the film if you know you know what the actors are going through, or some funny little story.

You know yeah.

Monique Lillard: I can see that.

Christen Atwood: I can see that.

Monique Lillard: So then, how did you get involved with the board, I think you mentioned Andrea Beckett whom we've already interviewed she was our treasurer for a long time she was an.

accountant in town.

How did you know her and what made her think, to ask you and you.

Remember that process.

Christen Atwood: um yeah she would come in and get pedicures from me and brought it up one time and.

i'm sorry i've got to just put some lotion on my hands really quick brought it up one time and.

talked about what you guys were doing to fundraise and get the word out there.

To save the store and I really wanted the store to be saved and I felt like I could do that I could add to it and with you know just my connections around town, be able to do a little bit more.

Just is what you guys were doing.

Monique Lillard: And so you actually came in thinking about fundraising because that's right what I was going to ask you about is I remember several things you did why don't you just described, some of your fundraising activities and we can talk about them.

Christen Atwood: yeah I mean that was definitely what I intended when I.

You know, wanted to be on the main street video call on board.

And so you know, for me it was event planning that to me seems.

That was the most effective with what talents and you know hookups or whatever connections that I have I.

So basically.

You know I got I first went to Kevin from the breakfast club, because we needed to have a place to have it obviously and you want to not pay for anything.

that's the whole point is to not dole out any money, so I went to him, first because I managed the breakfast club and works there for a very long time, and he has let me have.

When I was in college he let me have a very small private event there.

With my friends and family, and so I thought I just asked, and he was totally fine with it, he wanted to have an employee of his there which I.

ended up, I think, giving him a free pedicure or something.

yeah cuz I think I asked like do you want money or do you want a pedicure the pedicure really turned out to be more more money than an hour of the great.

And so after we solidified the space that I just.

went around to all the restaurants people that I knew and ask them to donate food.

Mitch Lopez told me this great story about how he basically lived at that video store as a child, while his parents were you know running their restaurant.

So he would go over there and kind of waste time and really wanted to save it as well, so he was very generous and you know super easy because he's right next door, so you know the lopez's donated a lot of food.

Larry swatter is a close friend and client of mine, and he owns gambino and he donated loads of pizza.

I wanted to have a variety of food because of everybody's.

You know.

dietary restrictions and needs and then Georgian carly of my Alina donated.

Oh yeah Kim from the police caboose she donated all the alcohol.

And all of the you know she got a keg, and the tap for it and all the stuff that goes along with that she also donated a whole bunch of desserts.

So, after the food got taken care of.

You know I, being a theater person appreciate, entertainment and you know, like a good time I didn't want it to just be you know people they're just eating and milling around, so I had Gordon Milan from the Moscow Community theater do a scene from one of his upcoming plays and.

I think it was a Shakespeare play for life was a comedy of errors I can't be I can't I can't.

exactly remember there, there was so much that went on that night.

And then yeah another way to get people in there is to give away free things so, then you know just went to a lot of the stores downtown and.

asked for you know the restaurants that didn't give food they gave.

gift cards for the prices and whatnot so.

yeah that's kind of the the steps that I went through, and then it just all kind of came together.

And the whole point was come enjoy all this free stuff because I think, from what I remember, we didn't charge to get in we asked for donations and.

We got some sizable donations that night, as well as you know you buy raffle tickets, which was totally worth it, because I think they were like $10 or.

Two for and the amount of prizes were ridiculous the generosity from the Community was quite amazing throughout that whole process for that specific event and yeah it went really well.

Monique Lillard: Do you remember how many people came.

Christen Atwood: I remember wash room.

Monique Lillard: And a lot of laughter and a fun time but I wonder.

Christen Atwood: i'm going to base this off of my serving experience at the breakfast club and knowing how many people can fit in there and I would say.

I mean the restaurant was full at one point, like all the seats were full.

and obviously there's a rotation of people so i'd say like i'm not good at this but.

Between 60 and 80.

Monique Lillard: yeah I might have had over 100 but i'm not good at counting that either, because the there was the backroom that had a lot of food in it to.

You know.

Right so yeah but it felt very full so yeah.

Christen Atwood: 60 did yeah there was definitely a point, but it was no.

Capacity there wasn't anywhere to sit, which was fantastic.

You know that to me that's definitely not a problem.

And then.

yeah you know you just had people roll through so I, I can say, maybe 102 or as well you know yeah.

Monique Lillard: I don't know you know i'm going to talk to Mitch Lopez, maybe as soon as tomorrow at your suggestion and thank you, but what would you say was the motivation of these merchants.

I mean you yourself donated a pedicure which is not in substantial donation, but you know alcohol cakes that's a lot, even for people who live up in blues you know, or at least have a business up and blues could you just generalize what was the attitude, why why the generosity.

Christen Atwood: um I think there was a couple of reasons, you know.

People liked the store they wanted to support local they didn't want to see it go away, they.

A lot of them were really honest and they're like you know I don't rent movies, I stream and I said I completely understand we're definitely targeting the people that we know are going to rent We just need to keep it running and so that was.

A big motivation for them and honestly, a lot of them were my friends and I know that part of.

They were being a good friend to me as well.

With those very generous donations so yeah.

Monique Lillard: And then, what did the money go, for we did make money and do Member what we put it toward.

Christen Atwood: i'm buying the store.

Monique Lillard: that's what I thought yeah.

yeah.

Christen Atwood: Okay, put it in the bank account, and towards.

The co op buying out the owners okay.

Because the.

store at that point was self sufficient paying its own bills.

You know, Pat and.

Kelly Kelly.

just wanted to.

get it down right right right.

yeah.

And then just wanted to sell the store so that's where the money went.

Monique Lillard: Okay that's.

that's my recollection too, but I just.

Christen Atwood: wonder yeah.

Monique Lillard: You did another.

didn't you do other.

baskets and raffle things that we.

Had in the store also.

Christen Atwood: yep yeah so that was there was some leftover from that initial fundraiser.

and

I just kept it in my closet until the next one.

So yeah they had those I I don't even remember how those went because.

There was a big personal event in my life that kind of pulled my attention away from it so yeah I we did have those big baskets that we raffled off.

That, I think, made like a some money for it, it was you know better than nothing so.

Monique Lillard: yeah you know I remember you and a lot of those co op board meetings.

Even when there was a lot going on in your life.

And I remember talking a lot about actual sort of management of the store.

Do you feel as if your experience in retail and it service affected sort of the advice that you gave to the management or not.

Christen Atwood: Definitely yeah.

I mean i've worked a lot of.

um yeah I.

I don't remember a lot of.

The details, but clearly my my experience of working with people managing people working with customers.

You know, was a lot of where.

My my knowledge came from, and also, you know theatre you just study people, you know how to read people, you know how to talk to people.

And so that's helpful to I don't know if anything I said, made a difference, but.

You know.

I guess that's not really the point but yeah yeah.

Monique Lillard: Okay, good good so in your estimation, who was the most important person at the store it doesn't have to be a name it could just be a position.

Christen Atwood: Oh definitely yeah.

The manager, you know.

I mean it's hard, because the managers did so much of that work.

But I can see when it switched to a Co op it was hard for them, because they had to change gears now they had to be.

Co op membership salesman as opposed to a video store cashier, so I think that was part of you know, the the struggle and the challenge for them, which is completely understandable and that's why you know I I threw my job got a lot of Members to and memberships people to sign up.

But you know just keeping track of everything and running everything and keeping everything organized was fantastic on their part, you know, a couple of those employees have been there for so long.

Monique Lillard: Yes, yes.

Why do you think the store struggled.

Last year's.

Christen Atwood: Well, I mean.

part of its technology right like I can just sit on my butt and push some buttons.

And don't have to try.

I grew up going to the video store every Friday night, and it was a stress reliever it's Mr magic it wasn't it was an event for me and my family.

And I think those people that had those times, like me, are the ones that frequent in that place and even I pass that on with my kid.

You know, Sam still like bones that there's no video store.

Monique Lillard: yeah.

Christen Atwood: And it's and it's okay it's just the way it is, but it was i'm glad that we him and I got times there to go in and pick out our movies, you know.

Absolutely, but.

it's.

Christen Atwood: You know you have a lot of a lot of factors.

In everything.

But I think you know the cash flow was the main thing.

You know it's hard, because that downtown space was nice and in retrospect, just as a business person I don't think it was imperative to keep it open to have a very expensive downtown spot.

But that's just the way it is you know.

One of the most frustrating things.

That I would observe at the farmers market was it was like a museum to young kids.

They would look and be like cool and then walk away, and you know and they'd say it, I can't this is so cool there's still a movie store here I can't believe that that's so awesome.

i'm like then go and spend some money, but you know but yeah you can't convince somebody to buy a DVD player yeah it's kids don't have DVD players so and that's kind of where I was too if somebody was like oh I don't have a DVD player i'm like okay well have a nice day.

yeah i'm not going to convince you to do that right.

Monique Lillard: I remember the sinking feeling I had when.

Some of my students said well my computer doesn't even have a.

What they call it the drive thing you know, and I thought, oh no This is bad.

This is bad for that store and for us who love to going yeah.

I know right yeah um.

What about this process of going cooperative, I think it was already cooperative when you came to the board right.

Christen Atwood: We were in the process of it, yes it hadn't happened yet, we had that little event.

You know, when we finally bought the store, but I mean.

It was the only way to save it in my opinion, unless you found an independently wealthy person who didn't want to make money off of it and.

Like the idea of it, it was it's inevitable.

You know yeah with.

With how everything is, of course, we could have downsized, but it was just.

You know the Co op was the, the best way to go, was.

getting money from as many people as possible.

and honestly I don't think that I thought it was a great idea and, as a co op Member you get these perks there was a moment when I was joked that me always having late fees was keeping the story open.

And I had a hard time when I, as a co op Member that I got them half off, I was like I almost don't want that, because that's not going to help, and so it was I thought it was a fantastic business plan, but you know they're just it.

Just we didn't have enough time.

Monique Lillard: yeah.

Christen Atwood: You know and it's how many of us, eight of US between six five and eight of us working together all have full time jobs and lives, and you know the volunteer was.

It was hard you know.

So I thought the Co op was.

The you know a great idea that great way to try to save it.

Monique Lillard: mm hmm.

Christen Atwood: Any negatives to going.

Monique Lillard: Co op.

Christen Atwood: um.

I mean it's hard, because I felt like there was a lot of logistical stuff that I didn't understand.

You know, when we when we came across that conundrum of like who's going to sign the checks.

We have 450 owners like you know so.

I think that was hard, but we figured it out, and you know between Lauretta and.

Melinda you know they were able to figure that stuff out.

But.

I don't I don't feel like it was there was anything awful about it, besides those hard logistical things I don't think it made it go under.

Monique Lillard: I would, I wasn't even remotely meaning to suggest that but it's just sort of looking at the general picture as of going co-operative as a means of saving something like this.

Right that's all just sort of a yeah.

yeah.

Monique Lillard: In retrospect, is there anything the Co op board could have done differently and i'm not talking about pointing fingers at anybody, but just is there anything that, as I say, might have helped and it's only the Monday morning quarterbacking question it's not a blame thing.

Christen Atwood: Oh, you bet um yeah I think there's a lot of things we could have done better, and I am guilty of this, as much as anybody else, but I think the meetings were full of redundancy.

And there was a lot of talking about what we were going to talk about instead of I am an action person and get things done, and it was part of my frustration was.

You know what, what are we going to do we need to do something we need to like take action, and so you know that's not any certain person's fault, once again, or just.

This is a volunteer basis and we're doing as much as we can so.

yeah I think that was.

You know somewhere where we could have done better, but we were still doing the best we can yeah no.

Monique Lillard: Absolutely absolutely yeah were you there to the bitter end were you there when they decided to oh Okay, you had.

Christen Atwood: to know hey.

I opened my own business and I couldn't I had no.

Any free minutes whatsoever.

So I did, however, talked to.

Jamie at.

The kenworthy and so she had kind of told me about her part of the end but no, I always wondered what happened, and she filled me in a lot of it.

You know, with the with the where all the movies went and all that, but what was the how did it, what was the final nail in the coffin.

Monique Lillard: I don't know I wasn't on the board either I was wondering if you.

Christen Atwood: knew what the final nail in the.

Monique Lillard: coffin was so I have i've spoken to.

pat angle bow newsome who is my co interviewer on behalf of the library has has spoken or is going to speak with Jamie and with Ian who.

was the chairman of the board president or whatever we called it, at the very end.

So I guess more will be revealed about that.

I might speak with cody more, who was the lawyer who kind of helped broker the end deal so.

You know I said I think well that's the that's One of the interesting things about this history that we're doing is.

I think some.

Some informational maybe come out, you know and i'm not even sure what the.

disposition of these tapes.

Christen Atwood: or these.

Monique Lillard: recordings will be i'm not sure if they'll.

be open to everybody right away i'm not really sure about that even I think they will but i'm not sure so.

Christen Atwood: yeah yeah.

Monique Lillard: yeah so.

Let me see here do you remember where you were when you heard it was closing and what was your feeling.

Christen Atwood: um.

I think.

I don't remember exactly when it was.

I was very sad but I knew I literally did every single thing that I could have done.

And I didn't feel bad or like we were failures at all, I did not feel that way.

Like I said before, if.

Unless somebody independently wealthy bought it and didn't care about making money, I really think that's, the only way for it to survive, you know or yeah I mean it just wasn't making money right yeah we couldn't pay the rent right.

So.

yeah I was sad but I kind of knew and I don't remember where I was, but I think that Melinda was the first person I talked to.

after it had happened, but I don't know did she was she on the board until the bitter end or did.

Monique Lillard: She know.

She had left also.

Okay yeah and i've spoken with her actually too yeah she had left also because the at one point, the video co op wondered if the food co op wanted to buy it.

And she she was in a conflict of interest that's what she had.

said on.

Christen Atwood: You bet so yeah yep which is completely understandable that's hard than your.

Monique Lillard: Oh yeah it's very hard.

Christen Atwood: yeah, how do you.

yeah.

Monique Lillard: And you'll recollect the food COP was really generous, you know gave us some old computers, the hardware their graphic designer did some stuff you know they were very generous so.

Christen Atwood: very generous.

Monique Lillard: yeah yeah and I like your attitude of.

We really I think did the best we could.

You know I I could wish a few obviously I could wish a few things, what would that have made a difference, who knows you know I don't know.

Right, let me ask you this.

At.

Monique Lillard: What did you lose personally and what do you think the town of Moscow lost by the shutting of the of the store.

Christen Atwood: i'm.

Personally I don't know if I feel like I lost, I mean, besides the store I you know lost those.

Monique Lillard: that's what I meant.

Christen Atwood: To actually you know the store.

yeah yeah going and getting a show with my son and.

I mean we lost a lot it's a.

film is a beautiful piece of art and.

redbox and.

And Amazon are like the top 40 in terms of if i'm if you're comparing it to the radio, you know you only get.

Whatever they decide is popular right.

You don't get everything that is you know everything there was rich and.

Obviously they got the new releases out first but it wasn't just the popular new releases it wasn't just what the the.

The.

East side marketplace was putting on it was stuff they can where they would put on independent films and foreign films, and you know all the Oscar winners and the nominees so I feel like.

movie stores all over the country shutting down, we lost that that art it's now just generically easy to watch something on netflix or whatever you know.

So.

It was a stress reliever to wander around in there.

Monique Lillard: yeah I know what you mean that yeah I know it to me the shopping.

Christen Atwood: portion was.

Monique Lillard: was an experience in itself a pleasure in itself, you know, and you actually answered.

My next question was going to be sort of moving beyond Moscow what what's the world losing by losing these video stores well Okay, let me flip it and in just a minute if I interrupt I see my sons are coming in, and if they make a big racket i'll mute myself so.

Okay, no worries, just so you know but.

yep if we can compare whether the six year old or the 26 year olds make more noise, I think.

will win.

The.

Oh gosh i'm sorry I distracted myself what was.

Christen Atwood: The world learn.

Monique Lillard: What the world I wanted the world game is is what's better about this world of technology, more technology streaming.

Christen Atwood: I don't know it's you get more information, but it's like it's like the world of credit cards right it's instant gratification you don't have to try that hard.

You know there's when you sit on your butt all day and just click next.

it's not the same as like going and reading the back of all of these and then getting home and which 1am I going to watch first and.

How do I feel about that, and you know, do I want to watch it again before I take it back, am I going to rent this for the whole week or am I going to rent it for one night, you know there's just you more of a relationship with it and it's not.

You know, like before credit cards, you had to save your money and decide what was the most important thing to buy now you just swipe it and you know and then it's yours immediately desensitizes everything, so you know there's obviously good to technology but we're just.

we're kind of just becoming the robot that it is you know.

Monique Lillard: If you thought about going to the public library or the University of Idaho library, to put it would they're called borrowed it's called renting borrow.

Christen Atwood: yeah no I haven't but I will because I didn't think about that yeah it's a great idea.

Monique Lillard: You know, they also have books with oh used to be cassettes, I assume it's DVDs or who knows what.

Which is a sort of an audio form they have all this stuff I think you'd like it with your son has just like for libraries on here.

yeah they didn't pay me to say that it just came to mind.

Christen Atwood: that's Good though that is a good segue you know go to the library instead mm hmm.

Monique Lillard: So what just one second here, let me just step.

Okay.

All right, okay i'm back i'm back.

Probably should this pause that recording there but it doesn't matter so we're just about done here just to end on slightly happier notes, we get to see your whole place now, this is fun.

Good.

Monique Lillard: let's see what's your happiest memory or funny memory of the video store and even yet any personal memories and the stories you've heard.

Christen Atwood: um I loved the grand reopening when we filled that front.

window with balloons.

Monique Lillard: Oh yeah I forgot about it yeah.

and

Christen Atwood: cut the ribbon.

And having and having Howard Hughes there was, I did not expect him i'd never met him before and he was just so happy to see.

Everybody care, you know, in the Community love what he originally created.

It was a really, really good day.

The.

Monique Lillard: Red outfit said.

Something yeah.

Christen Atwood: yeah yep and.

You know Jenny buying.

Her membership, and I think she was like the 300 Member, it was like.

You know, we weren't 99 and then she bought it and.

Monique Lillard: yeah what was that.

Christen Atwood: Jenny forward because she was the President of the Chamber of Commerce.

Monique Lillard: Oh okay.

All right, yeah yeah.

that's right.

Christen Atwood: So yeah I.

But I loved, not only did I love renting there I loved being on the board, and I love being part of the events, the art walk.

Because people, the people that wanted to keep it around really responded and really put the word out.

You know.

It wasn't just shrug off, I mean for some people, it definitely was right, but for the people that wanted to keep it around you know that's what kept the Members.

Growing and the renters still coming back and a lot of people didn't know it existed and we.

introduced them to it through all of that Labor of love of.

Creating the Co op.

Those are you know some of my best memories.

Monique Lillard: that's good that's a good stories i'm glad you reminded me the best of Poland that was cool yes, yes.

Any other stories anything else you'd like to add.

Christen Atwood: um I don't think so just appreciating.

You know I remember sitting in your House at that table when when we went over all the bylaws and it was you and me and Melinda and Lauretta and Andrea I believe.

Was Andrew there.

Monique Lillard: I think so.

Christen Atwood: yeah and.

Obviously, there were more people that came and went and.

But for the time that I was on the board the five of us made the most difference with the other board members that I was with you know, the amount of work that Lauretta did.

Was admirable I couldn't you know that's that's not my department i'm a i'm a PR event department sort of person, but I feel like.

You know I remember sitting.

at that table and thinking this this metaphor of like the five of us like holding up the store like oh we're trying so hard like I visually saw my head.

But yeah I will always love.

My part in it.

And it is, it is sad that it's gone.

I know they're.

remodeling that building right now, and so you know it's still a little bittersweet I don't know if they've officially taken down the side, yet.

Monique Lillard: Oh, I don't know.

Christen Atwood: But.

yeah, it is hard to let it go.

But like I said we did every.

thing possible and worked our hardest, and so I have certainly will never feel like any of us failed.

That not any of the employees, not any of the members, not the Community it's just the way the world right now, you know.

Monique Lillard: yeah yeah yeah by eyes filled with tears many times doing these interviews this effect effect so yeah yeah.

I bet.

Monique Lillard: So.

Anything else.

Christen Atwood: I don't think so.

Monique Lillard: Okay hold on i'm going to stop the recording on the recording I want to thank you for your time you're very busy person you run your own business and.

To Sunday afternoon and you're taking the time to do this, so I appreciate it i'm going to stop the recording and then we'll just catch up for one second okay.

Christen Atwood: Okay, thank you sure.

See.