Across the street from my grandmother's house, where I grew up essentially, was a video store called West Coast Video owned by this guy Terry who was really awesome and kept the kids off the streets. He didn't mind loitering for the most part, and knew who the bad kids were.

This place was the home of a LOT of MK2, MK3, and UMK3 competition. It was pretty crazy. I never got into MK2 there but I heard a lot of stories, and then I was there all the time for MK3 when they got it until they no longer had UMK3.

In any event, I saw the guy today at the supermarket I work at and asked him why the place is closing down. He said they land lord raised the rent from $3700 a month to $4500 and $3700 was already too much with the decline in movie renting and the fact that movies come out to buy and rent at the same time now, and people are willing to pay more money just to rent from Blockbuster and Hollywood Video.

There was a time when a small section of the building was vacant between West Coast and a pizza place, and he attempted to get a full arcade in it but the township wouldn't let it happen. I probably would have gotten a job there when I turned 16 heh.

Well, I thought I'd share this as it was a big piece of my life as a kid from age 13 to 16, chilling with friends, playing various fighting games, but without West Coast Video and Terry's overall generosity, I would not be making this post or possibly even visit MKOnline because the fact an arcade machine was right outside my door kept my interest in what is now classic MK gaming.

Matt