Illinoisans want Blockbuster back more than any other defunct brand, survey finds

A new survey finds Illinoisans most want Blockbuster to return among defunct retail chains, followed by Marshall Field's, Waldenbooks, Borders, and Fry's Electronics.

Large blue-and-yellow Blockbuster sign atop a pole with an empty white marquee beneath, clear sky in the background.

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CHAMPAIGN, IL (Chambana Today) — A new survey by MarketBeat, a financial media company, asked 3,014 respondents ages 45 and older which defunct retail chains they most want to see make a comeback. Blockbuster topped the list in Illinois, followed by Marshall Field’s, Waldenbooks, Borders, and Fry’s Electronics.

The results point to something deeper than nostalgia for a store. For many, these brands represented a kind of retail experience that has largely disappeared, one built around browsing, lingering, and the low-stakes joy of an unplanned discovery.

“Many of these stores turned everyday errands into actual experiences,” said Matt Paulson, founder of MarketBeat. “As retail has become faster and more transactional, that sense of occasion has started to disappear, and people are realizing they miss it.”

Blockbuster, which closed most of its locations by the early 2010s, resonated most strongly, a reminder that streaming, for all its convenience, never quite replicated the ritual of a Friday night video run. Marshall Field’s, the beloved Chicago department store absorbed by Macy’s in 2006, came in second, followed by mall staple Waldenbooks, the sprawling Borders bookstores, and tech retailer Fry’s Electronics.