Nostalgia, free advice and 25 cent late fees: How Whitehorse's last video store is hanging on

Going to Coyote Video in Whitehorse is like walking down memory lane.

The latest DVDs are found in the back aisle, but there are also rows and rows of older classics that you won't find on Netflix.

"Sometimes you don't always know what you want, so it's just nice to walk the aisles and get inspired by something ... 'Oh yeah, I've been thinking of watching that,' and just grab it off the shelf," said Joel Luet, a regular customer.

The rapid rise of digital streaming services such as Netflix has made the movie rental business nearly obsolete. There is one just one Blockbuster video store left on earth.

But Coyote Video is as busy as ever, and owner Cory Adams has no plans to call it quits.

"Just taking it day by day, and adapting to change. You've got to be willing to adapt — if you don't, I gather you die," Adams said.

He says a lot of families come to the store because of the Disney classics he has on hand.

Adams says he strives to provide a range of movies that can't be easily found online.  

"This is The Crow — it's the original Brandon Lee one, and it's very hard to find," said Adams.

He says it's movies like that — and the nostalgia of actually being in a video store — that keep customers coming back.

"It kind of reminds me when I was younger and doing that with my dad. It was an experience, to go out and get a movie and have a movie night," said Mia Ouellete, a regular Coyote Video customer.

"I feel like when you are renting online, it kind of takes away from picking that movie for the family." 

Renting online also does away with late charges but Luet, who lives near Carcross, says he doesn't worry too much about those. Coyote Video only charges 25 cents.

"We do get the odd late charges, but [Coyote Video's] late charges are super-reasonable," said Luet.

Adams also believes his store offers something extra.

"People do come to ask us our opinions on movies, and it's great because you are getting a whole range of different advice from all of us here," he said.

Streaming services don't offer that sort of interaction, Adams says.

"No, you just sit there and scroll."