Local automates DVD rentals

Carolyn Walser / senior photographer Eric Garman, co-owner of Box Office Express, with one of his machines.

Neighbors Convenience Store, with the help of a local resident and a JMU student, opened a Box Office Express for students to rent movies in a non-traditional way.

This new rental facility offers more than just the typical "back of the box" summaries — it allows you to watch the actual movie trailers on a screen on the machine before a rental commitment is made. "While the machine has 700 compartments for DVDs and video games, ours already holds about 300," said senior Adam Beasley, co-owner and co-operator of the local Box Office Express.

To use the Box Office Express, the customer swipes his or her credit card, then uses the touch screen to pick a movie. The movie then pops out of a slot in the machine.

"For college-aged consumers in a limited-option town, we realized that there was definitely a better alternative to the chain stores that already existed," said 22-year-old Harrisonburg resident and entrepreneur Eric Garman, co-owner and co-operator of the local Box Office Express.

Box Office Express contains new releases and classics. For a two-day rental of a new release DVD, it will cost $3.49 and any regular movie will cost $.99 per day. Box Office Express accepts credit cards only.

"It only took a few forgotten rentals with late fees and one too many nights wanting to rent after hours for us to realize this was an excellent opportunity," Garman said.

Freshman Angela Bereski said, "I would probably use this service when I want to rent a movie and Blockbuster has already closed. It sounds easy enough."