There's a video store just a few miles from work and home called Videodrome. A tiny shop, it can't quite compete with Blockbuster (who now can't compete with Netflix). But it doesn't try to.

I see niche focus as the single most important variable when it comes to what makes or a breaks an independent shop these days. Where it's impossible to compete in terms of sheer volume, selection, or pricing, smaller businesses instead have to offer less but better.

Videodrome doesn't have every movie. But they have a simple selection of what's worth watching. There's a great foreign selection (more Hong Kong and Chinese movies I've seen in a video store) categorized by country. There's a new releases wall. A staff favorite section that's sorted by director. Even with the immediate gratification of Netflix streaming, sometimes it's just nice to walk around and browse the shelves.

What I like most about the store is their extensive collection of Criterion Collection titles. You've seen them — the boxes that stand out on the shelves simply because of the beautifully designed covers. While we're on the topic of focus, Criterion has it too.

Their mission: "Since 1984, the Criterion Collection, a continuing series of important classic and contemporary films, has been dedicated to gathering the greatest films from around the world and publishing them in editions that offer the highest technical quality and award-winning, original supplements."

A limited selection, thoughtful design, and dedication to quality. With this film publisher and the little video store on Highland, these things come together to make for an uncommon experience in our days of "instant."

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