Redbox may be as dead as disco, but that doesn’t mean it can’t (sorta) live on in your living room. Redbox’s parent company folded with hundreds of millions of dollars in unpaid debts. It also left over 24,000 of its iconic red machines at various retail locations. The machines are heavy, cumbersome, and difficult to dispose of, with some embedded in concrete. Retailers plan on salvaging them for scrap at a loss, prompting collectors to scoop some up first. For instance, Jacob Helton, a 19-year-old from North Carolina, acquired one for its historical significance in American media. These machines require significant energy and maintenance costs, with Walgreens spending $184,000 per month to power their kiosks. Despite the challenges, each machine can hold around 500 DVDs. Redbox’s downfall marks the end of the video rental era, as the company once boasted nearly $2 billion in revenue and over 43,000 kiosks across the US and Canada.
