Videomatica, Vancouver’s iconic video-rental store, will not hold a clearance sale to liquidate its 30,000-film inventory in the lead-up to its closure this summer.
Philanthropist Yosef Wosk will contribute $100,000, if need be, to ensure the collection remains intact, either:
- with the Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF);
- at an academic institution such as the University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University or Capilano University; or
- at a new British Columbia Film Archive.
The video store’s owners, Brian Bosworth and Graham Peat, announced May 5 that their 28-year-old store would soon close.
Wosk, who is heir to the Wosk department store and real estate empire, has previously donated:
- about $250,000 to the Vancouver Public Library (VPL) for future renovations;
- $250,000 to the VanDusen Botanical Garden; and
- $250,000 to the Museum of Archeology to fulfil architectural legend Arthur Erickson’s dream for that facility to have a reflecting pond.
Processing costs and suggestive content in some films seem to have kiboshed efforts to get the VPL to buy Videomatica’s collection.
Wosk told Business in Vancouver May 9 he hopes the institution that receives the collection is able to contribute money to buy the VHS tapes and DVDs. He said if that is not possible, he would contribute the $100,000.
The next step is a meeting on May 12 with the academic institutions and represenatives from VIFF.
“There’s somewhat of a pressure now because Videomatica needs to give up their lease and move out,” Wosk said. “They would prefer that the collection go directly to where it’s going to go instead of having to first go in storage.”
Glen Korstrom
Twitter: @GlenKorstrom