Time-Travel to Blockbuster Era: ‘Be Kind’ in New Milford Brings Back Movie Fandom

I'm not going to be able to write this without dating myself and under these circumstances I am happy to go in that direction.

Get our free mobile app

There was a time when movies were more than just something you watched, they were a part of your personality. If you loved a movie, you would own a copy and display it like a trophy. You wore movie t-shirts, hung the movie poster and discussed the characters like they were family members.

You could hold movies in your hand, debate their worth and gain a real understanding for who a person was by listening to what they liked or didn't like. Here's an example of a thing that I've actually said about a movie, "If you don't like the Burbs I don't think you should be able to live in America."

Things were different in the 80's, 90's and 2000's and I'd argue better. Mom and pop video stores, even Blockbusters were places where human beings gathered and had face-to-face discussions about popular art.

My point is movie fandom was different back in the day, it was better and I think there is room to make the old, new again. We should bring video stores back and they should be in every strip mall once again. I hope everyone realizes what we're all missing out on, I pray that a movement will form but in the meantime I can take comfort in the knowledge that some people already get it.

I can go to 20 Bank Street in New Milford and visit "Be Kind (Rewind) Movie Vault" on the lower level of "The Hunt." I have not been there yet but I took the digital tour and learned the people behind it are my kind of people. Once I found out that "Be Kind" existed I reached out on social media and introduced myself.

I learned that "Be Kind" is owned by Jon Cross who is originally from England but has been in the States for 16 years. Jon started out in NYC, eventually making his way to the Danbury/New Milford area two and a half years ago.

I asked Jon to answer some questions so I could understand him and the store better. This is part of our chat.

This is everything I believe in, a small family-owned business that is centered around celebrating pop art AND it's in the best town in the USA, New Milford.

Please everyone go to this store and spend money so they can stay around! We cannot have nice things if you spend every last dollar on Amazon.

P.S. I would not have to turn everything into an attack on certain generations if they would just be better.