Vulcan Video: The Exit Interviews Continue – The Vulcan Diet, Customer Love & Super Kristen

Photo by Richard Whittaker for the Austin Chronicle

Our ongoing series of video posts chronicling some of the history of legendary video rental store and Austin film culture hub Vulcan Video continues below. Vulcan, which closed last month after a 35 year run, embodied so much of what makes Austin’s film culture special, and there is no better way to demonstrate this than to let the former employees talk about it. In their words and experiences you can feel the peculiar values endemic to this time and place.

Chapter 3 is about the roundelay of “hookups” that so characterizes (characterized?) local businesses. Pizzas and beer were regularly traded for movie rentals and the staff was able to add calorie consumption to their less than luxurious lifestyles.

Chapter 4 provides the employees with an opportunity to talk about some of the customers they love and miss.

Finally, this special “Easter Egg” is about beloved manager Kristen Ellisor. After Brian and Susan talk about some of the things they respect about the hard-working, highly competent Ellisor, she chimes in, overcoming her reluctance to speak publicly and delivers a eulogy for the store and her customers that we could not bear to cut a word out of. If you can watch this without shedding a tear or three, you may need to consult a tear-duct specialist.