I made an app inspired by the feeling of browsing video store shelves
Hey everyone. I hope this is okay to share here.
I grew up loving the feeling of walking through video store shelves, browsing covers, seeing Staff Picks, and finding something because it caught your eye instead of because an algorithm pushed it.
I’ve been working on an iPhone/iPad app called Home Video Club that tries to bring a little bit of that feeling back for people who already have their own Plex libraries at home. It turns a personal Plex library into a browsable “video store” with shelves, Staff Picks, curated sections, request cards, member profiles, and a classic store-inspired theme.
It is not affiliated with Blockbuster or Plex. It is just an independent nostalgia project built around the idea that browsing movies should feel fun and physical again.
I’m mainly sharing here because I think this group understands the appeal better than most. I’d love feedback from people who remember the real store experience:
- Does the shelf/storefront idea feel right?
- What would make it feel more like browsing an actual video store?
- Are there details from old rental stores that would be worth recreating?
If links are allowed, the app is called Home Video Club on the App Store. If not, I’m happy to remove the link and just share screenshots/concept discussion.
Thanks for letting me share. I miss the old Friday-night rental run more than I expected.