Will GameStop be the new Blockbuster? 3 closures in NJ

I’m dating myself to say I remember Blockbuster. To quote Tay, I remember it all too well. It’s wild to think that they peaked at 9,000 stores worldwide just 21 years ago. They even blew the chance buy Netflix when it was barely more than an idea.

Now? One privately owned Blockbuster in Bend, Oregon, is all that's left. Oh, how the mighty have fallen!

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Is GameStop traveling that same path?

The gaming merchandise retailer was founded in 1984. By 2005, they had expanded to over 4,200 stores worldwide.

Twenty years later, they’ve lost 25% of their locations. GameStop’s performance began declining around the mid-to-late 2010s due in part to poor investments but also a consumer shift to online gaming and away from physical video games.

The decline is happening faster than Mario could save Princess Peach. Just last year 600 GameStop locations were closed.

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Where and when?

Now it’s been announced that 296 more locations are to close just this month alone. Sure enough, three South Jersey GameStops closed permanently on Wednesday, Jan. 7.

Those locations were at Somerdale’s Town Square Plaza, Somers Point, and Deptford Landing. Courier Post is reporting as of now just a handful of stores remain open in South Jersey, including the ones in Cherry Hill and Vineland. It’s unclear which other Jersey locations if any will be closing down this month or in the near future.

Sad to think something that felt so cutting edge when I was a kid is already seeming like Amish technology. Between so many diners closing down and retailers slipping away, I feel like I’m just going to spend the rest of the day checking for grays. Also, get off my lawn.

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