The last Blockbuster is hosting an Airbnb sleepover in September
Stay the night in a bunker of '90s nostalgia.
The idea of spending the night inside an old retail store may not sound fun at first glance, but add some blue and yellow paint, throw in a dash of nostalgia, and suddenly it’s an experience fit for an Airbnb reservation war. The last Blockbuster in the world, located in Bend, Oregon, will be available to rent on Airbnb for three one-night stays in September, complete with a recreation of a 1990s living room, and all the snacks and movies you can handle.
Reservations will go live on Monday, August 17th, at 1pm PT, and the available dates are September 18th, 19th and 20th. Up to four people can attend each night of the sleepover, though only residents of Deschutes County have been invited to book. This whole event is an act of local appreciation from store manager Sandi Harding.
“Our Blockbuster store is open because of the incredible local community in Bend, and we’ve been grateful to have the support of those beyond our town as the coronavirus pandemic has impacted our business,” she wrote on Airbnb. “To celebrate and pay it forward in this tradition of support, Airbnb will make a donation to the Humane Society of Central Oregon, a longtime partner of ours.”
Harding says guests will have the store completely to themselves, and everything will be thoroughly cleaned between visits, abiding by CDC recommendations.
“We’ve created the perfect space complete with a pull-out couch, bean bags and pillows for you to cozy up with ‘new releases’ from the ‘90s,” the Airbnb description reads. “Crack open a two-liter of Pepsi before locking into a video game, charting your future in a game of MASH, or watching movie after movie. But be wary of reciting “Bloody Mary” in the staff bathroom off of the break room, as you just may summon the ghost rumored to haunt the store. And help yourself to some NERDS, Raisinets and popcorn (heavy on the butter), but make sure you save room for a couple slices.”
After the sleepovers, the living room set-up will remain at the Blockbuster for a limited time, and customers will be able to check it out for themselves during store hours.
