The general consensus from people who had heard that Blockbuster will soon close on Bridge Street is: I'm surprised that it lasted this long.
It's not because the local Blockbuster has bad service or even bad videos and games: it's simply that hundreds of stores have closed nationwide in recent years. The Dish Network, which recently bought Blockbuster, has been forced to close the brick and mortar rental facilities and focus on different ways to compete with mail rental video companies, video kiosks, TV stations that offer rentals such as OnDemand and online movie rental companies like Netflix, which became popular with mail rentals before focussing on online rentals. Blockbuster currently offers many of those services, as well.
People in Naugatuck were surprised that the local Blockbuster had not shuttered during previous mass closures by the company. And when the Dish Network announced in January it would close 300 Blockbuster stores this year, many knew the days of the once popular Naugatuck store were numbered.
So, now there is another vacant storefront in Naugatuck. There has been talks of D&D Package Store, right next to the Blockbuster, wanting to move into a larger facility. And there have been discussions about a medical walk-in facility that could be proposed there. But nothing has been filed with the borough's land use staff at this point.
The last day to rent at Naugatuck Blockbuster was Saturday and it will reopen on Tuesday, June 4, to sell movies until July.
A spokesman for the Dish Network did not return a message for comment Monday.
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