The VU
About
The VU, short for The Video Underground, is a video store and cafe in Jamaica Plain that began as an alternative to mainstream, Blockbuster-style rental chains. Its shelves specialize in independent, cult and foreign films, while still carrying new releases, time-honored classics and plenty in between. The counter doubles as a beverage stop, serving tea, coffee, espresso drinks and smoothies along with snacks for customers browsing the racks or grabbing something on the go.
The store has outlasted the big rental chains it was founded to counter, and it keeps adding ways for film fans to engage. Plans announced for the fall include a permanent section of previously viewed DVDs, Blu-rays and VHS tapes for sale, the return of screening room rentals, weekend popcorn sales and mail-order coffee subscriptions. New releases arrive every week, and the store shares updates and release lists online.
What to Know
- The store opened in 2002.
- Screening room rentals are limited to active media subscribers and their guests.
- The VU is part of the Egleston Square Main Street business district.
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