Man Spends $2,000 Turning His Bedroom Closet Into a Mini Blockbuster Video Store, Complete with a Hidden VCR (Exclusive)

Ashley VegaTue, June 16, 2026 at 7:01 PM UTC

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John's Blockbuster Video Store ClosetCredit: John F. Martino -

John Martino spent more than $2,000 transforming a tiny bedroom closet into a miniature Blockbuster

The space features a hidden VCR, working TV, movie displays and a Blockbuster sign activated by pressing a VHS tape

After sharing the project on TikTok, Martino says viewers flooded him with memories of their own Blockbuster nights

For many people, a trip to Blockbuster exists only as a memory. For John Martino, it now exists inside a tiny closet in his bedroom.

The VHS collector recently captured attention on TikTok after showing off a miniature Blockbuster he built inside an unused closet, complete with blue carpet, movie displays, a hidden VCR and a light-up Blockbuster sign that can be activated by pressing a specific VHS tape. What began as a practical storage solution eventually became something much bigger.

Martino's journey started a few years ago during a visit to a newly opened thrift store. While browsing the aisles, he spotted copies of Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls for just 99 cents each.

Those movies immediately transported him back to childhood. "Those movies helped shape my sense of humor as a kid, and I remember watching them over and over again and laughing every single time," Martino tells PEOPLE. "At that point, financially, emotionally, and spiritually, I had no choice."

The discovery didn't stop there. Moments later, he found a VCR for $15 and took that as a sign that his newest collecting obsession had officially begun.

As the collection grew, so did the problem. Shelves in his living room quickly filled with tapes, and Martino realized he needed more space if he planned to continue hunting down the movies he loved growing up.

That's when his attention turned to a tiny closet in his bedroom. Unlike his primary closet, this one barely held much beyond a handful of clothes, making it the perfect blank canvas for a project inspired by some of his favorite childhood memories.

Credit: John F. Martino

"I grew up on Blockbuster nights and have so many positive memories of browsing around my local store," he says. Since those stores have largely disappeared, he decided to create his own version at home.

Once the idea took hold, Martino wasted little time getting started. He began the project on a Saturday morning with the goal of finishing the initial build by Sunday night.

By the end of the weekend, the transformation was already dramatic. The walls had been painted Blockbuster yellow, shelves lined the space, blue carpeting covered the floor and interior lighting illuminated rows of VHS tapes.

Over time, however, the details became what truly brought the room to life. Martino later added a QuikDrop return slot, expanded shelving, a snack rack and a television connected to a hidden VCR so visitors could watch a movie while browsing.

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One of his favorite additions is also one of the most unexpected. Behind his copy of Batman Returns sits a concealed switch that turns the Blockbuster sign on and off.

"Without the sign, it would really just be a closet with yellow walls," Martino says. "The sign is what officially makes the space feel like a Blockbuster."

John's Blockbuster Video Store ClosetCredit: John F. Martino

Building the room also required plenty of trial and error. While removing shelving and preparing the walls took the most time, one surprisingly difficult task involved finding a small piece of carpet.

After visiting three carpet stores without success, Martino finally found what he needed at Home Depot. Looking back, he laughs at the experience and admits he probably should have gone there first.

Today, the collection has grown to around 250 VHS tapes. Factoring in construction materials, tools and collectibles, Martino estimates he has spent a little more than $2,000 bringing the project to life.

Still, he says the return on investment goes far beyond dollars. Since sharing the room online, countless people have reached out to share their own memories of family movie nights and trips to Blockbuster.

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"I've even inspired quite a few people to build their own mini Blockbusters," he says. "Whenever they share the results with me, I get just as excited as they are."

For Martino, that's part of what makes the space so meaningful. It's more than a collection of movies or a clever home renovation.

"It's nostalgic, but it's also personal because I built it myself," he says. "Every shelf, sign, tape, and little detail reminds me of the work that went into it and the memories that inspired it."

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”