CIVIC
IndustryHome entertainment
Founded1985
DefunctFebruary 28, 2023 (2023-02-28)
HeadquartersAlexandria, New South Wales, Australia
ServicesHome video rentals
(VHS, DVD, Blu-ray, Ultra HD Blu-ray, console games)
ParentCivic Retailing Pty Ltd
Civic Video reward cards

CIVIC (formerly known as Civic Video) was a home video rental chain that offered titles on VHS, DVD, Blu-ray and Ultra HD Blu-ray, as well as console video games, for rent. At its peak it operated hundreds of franchise and corporate-owned video rental shops in Australia and New Zealand. In the late 2000s and 2010s the chain saw significant store closures. On 28 February 2023 the last remaining store in Windsor, New South Wales closed after 38 years in operation.[1]

The demise of the business and the Australian and New Zealand video rental industries as a whole is attributed largely to the introduction of online streaming services.[2]

History

Australia

Civic Video store in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales.

Civic Video was formed in Australia in 1985, initially as a buying group for several independent video stores before becoming a franchised company in 1989.[3] Its head office was located in Alexandria, Sydney, with state operations offices in Canberra, Brisbane and Perth. Civic Video is a trade name used by Civic Retailing Proprietary Limited.[4] The principal shareholders of Civic Video also owned VOD Proprietary Limited.[5]

In the mid-1990s the company was Australia's second-largest video rental chain.[3] In 1996, Civic operated over 250 stores in the country, and opened a new store every month.[6] However, by 2018 only 12 stores remained in Australia.[7] The company shut its head office in June that same year.[8] In November 2019, only three Civic stores remained in Australia.[9] On 28 February 2023 the last surviving Civic store in Windsor, New South Wales closed after 38 years in operation.[10][1]

New Zealand

Civic Video, Ponsonby Road, New Zealand

CIVIC New Zealand was launched on 1 December 1998 with 28 stores. The New Zealand head office was located in Auckland, and at its peak boasted over 22,000 followers on Facebook.

In 2018 their website listed 20 outlets remaining in New Zealand.[11] In January 2019, it was reported that only a half-dozen outlets still existed, with one facing imminent closure.[12] In January 2022 the last remaining New Zealand store in Tauranga closed.[13]

Slogans

  • Its A Civic Video Night Tonight (1988-1995)
  • Get It Switched On, Get into Civic Video (1994-1996)
  • C it at Civic (2003)
  • Have a hot night in with CIVIC (2012)

References

  1. 1 2 The last of its kind: Civic Video Windsor is officially closing down
  2. ↑ "Technology killed the video store". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 19 October 2018.
  3. 1 2 VIDEO RENTALS DECLINE AS THE NOVELTY WEARS THIN
  4. ↑ "Civic Video Privacy Policy". Civic Video Entertainment, Inc. Archived from the original on 19 July 2008. Retrieved 5 March 2008.
  5. ↑ "Concurrent Computer and VOD Pty Ltd Take Video-On-Demand 'Down Under' with Australia's First Commercial Deployment" (Press release). Concurrent Computer Corporation. 27 June 2001. Archived from the original on 15 December 2004. Retrieved 5 March 2008.
  6. ↑ Video booms despite pay-TV
  7. ↑ Civic Video's closing credits | Busselton-Dunsborough Mail
  8. ↑ Civic Video to close head office, Windsor store will keep trading
  9. ↑ Windsor Civic Video still trading as another video shop bites the dust
  10. ↑ Last Civic Video shop moves Windsor premises, re-sets longevity challenge
  11. ↑ Final credits for Te Awamutu's last DVD store - NZ Herald
  12. ↑ New Zealand's largest DVD rental store closes - Newstalk ZB
  13. ↑ "Last video store in Tauranga closes down for good". Bay of Plenty Times. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
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