
About

$45,288
440
We have a stretch goal!

Save a piece of film history. Preserve part of Norfolk's culture.

About Naro Video
In the 1990s, Tim Cooper and Linda McGreevy took over a small video rental store located in the Ghent District of Norfolk, Virginia. The neighborhood provided an eclectic mix of commerce, culture, and residence that allowed the shop to thrive and offer a significant contribution to the locals. Before moving to its current location on Colley Avenue, Naro Video had become the source for recent releases and hard to find titles. Its staff of true cinephiles heightened the experience for visitors, offering suggestions and an opportunity to swap commentary. And since the beginning, Naro Video has remained passionately committed to maintaining and growing its vast collection, which today boasts more than 42,000 titles.
While the business model of renting out blockbusters helped support the acquisition and maintenance of the documentaries, foreign films, and cinematic gems, the introduction of streaming services changed everything. So in 2016, after several years of falling revenues, a small group of local volunteers followed the example of a few pioneers - Scarecrow Video in Seattle, Vidiots in Santa Monica, Film is Truth in Bellingham, and Video Fan in Richmond – to make Naro Video a nonprofit. Thus, Naro Video became Naro Expanded Video Archival Library; it remains Naro Video to its many friends.
The Campaign
While video streaming has nearly eliminated the video rental industry, there is still a place for brick and mortar shops. Aside from accessibility to a wider selection of physical media, a storefront offers services that streaming cannot. It offers a sense of community, conversation, and a deeper appreciation for film. It gives visitors the opportunity to browse DVD covers and learn about interesting and obscure titles. And, simply, it offers a shopping experience that is great fun.
This campaign will enable Naro Video to continue offering these services to Hampton Roads. It will also create assets for developing the collection, which will let Naro Video continue to meet the demand of its members and the community.
Additionally, by transitioning to nonprofit, Naro Video has strategically positioned itself to provide educational and cultural programming to a larger audience. With the help of this campaign, Naro Video will be able to offer a variety of programs that offer a broader perspective on film as it relates to language, theater, music, literature, history, society, and culture.
This campaign is designed to provide the resources to continue to operate and build its collection, but more importantly, it will allow Naro Video to be more assertive with its cultural and educational programming.
Help us rewrite the ending for video stores everywhere.
Let's keep film accessible for all.
Let's Talk Rewards
Here is a preview for some of the rewards available at the various levels. Be sure to check out the Updates and FAQs sections for more images and any questions you might have regarding the rewards. If you can't find your answer there, feel free to send us a message!



Risks and challenges
It is our hope that this campaign will encourage more support for Naro Video's newly expanded mission; however, without continued interest and support from the community, we acknowledge that there is the possibility that continued operations at Naro Video might be severely restricted, or even ended.
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Funding period
- (35 days)