Horror galore at Edmonton's last movie store

This movie store specializes in horror The Lobby on Whyte Avenue specializes in horror films. CTV News Edmonton's Nicole Weisberg has more.

As Halloween approaches, many Edmontonians may be looking for a fright and 'the movie guy' is here to help.

Kevin Martin, or 'the movie guy,' owns The Lobby, the last movie rental shop in Edmonton. Whatever you're looking to watch, he said he'll help you find it.

"The one thing. . . streaming sites don't have going for them yet, is a proper algorithm. I'm the human algorithm. Tell me what you want, tell me what you like."

"You like this? You're going to like this."

Martin said when he opened The Lobby in 2005, he was a small business trying to compete with big brands like Blockbuster. A lover of alternative films, he carved out a niche by bringing in B movies, independent and foreign films and lots of horror flicks.

Now, he added, movies that were mainstream decades ago are difficult to find on streaming platforms, and The Lobby has also become home to classic action and comedy movies.

"The store has turned more into helping people find the movies they used to love when they were younger, but can't remember the name of it or can't seem to find it," he said. "So in a weird way, I'm like the bounty hunter of cinema – I will track it down for them."

He brings in around 120 movies a week, Martin said, with a floating inventory of up to 11,000 movies for rent or to buy. And, the store is a haven for horror with around 60 per cent of stock falling under the genre.

"Everybody loves a good horror movie. Everybody needs a good scare," Martin said.

For thrill seekers, he said the classics are a good place to start, and the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Shining, Halloween and The Thing are great picks if you haven't seen them yet.

But if you're looking for something scarier, Martin said he's happy to help.

"You get your customers that are like, 'I need something to really screw up my mind. Something more extreme,'" he said, adding that a trip to the foreign section usually does the trick.

"Everybody's tastes are different, and you hope when they return those movies they just give you that look like, 'Thanks, I guess. Because that really worked for me on such a wrong level.'"

If you're looking for something hyper local, you can't get any closer to homegrown horror than by renting one of Martin's own short films, which are shot at The Lobby and feature Martin playing a version of himself. He said a full feature film starring himself and The Lobby will premiere in 2023.

There's still lots of people coming to rent movies, Martin said, but he still keeps a second job to help pay the bills. With no plans to close the store, he says there are no plans to retire.

"The only reason I've been able to survive is because obviously I don't believe in making money," Martin said. "A lot of people, I find, they work their entire lives at a job they hate to make that good money for retirement."

"I'll just keep working, love what I do so it doesn't feel like work."

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Nicole Weisberg