Coming to Lower Manhattan’s Alamo Drafthouse: the Legendary Kim’s Video Collection

Kim’s Video was like CBGB for a certain segment of downtown cinephiles: an institution beloved in the New York of the ’90s whose appeal probably eludes kids today. 

The cult-famous independent movie rental store operated from 1986 through 2014 in a few locations across Manhattan. Its famous East Village flagship closed in 2009 — the same year Netflix streams overtook DVD shipments. The New York Times said a certain downtown aesthetic died along with the store. 

The store was famous for its diverse, esoteric and expansive collection, attracting videoheads in search of cult titles and hard-to-find releases among its 55,000 films in stock. Former store employees include director Todd Phillips, musician Andrew W.K. and Albert Hammond Jr. of the Strokes. 

It’s not been a great decade or so for lovers of physical media in an on-demand world. But after 12 years and journeys around the world, the Kim’s Video collection is finally coming back to Lower Manhattan. “After a 12-year and 9,000-mile odyssey that included a trip to Italy and back,” per the Drafthouse press release, Kim’s collection will become a permanent part of the new Alamo Drafthouse at 28 Liberty Street. It’s available for rent, too, with some titles that you can’t find on streaming. 

The collection will arrive with a launch party on March 31 featuring a rare appearance from founder Yougman Kim and free video rentals.  

photo: Alamo Drafthouse