Kim's Video and Music explained

Kim's Video and Music was a video and music retail store in Manhattan, New York City, described as the "go-to place for rare selections"[1] and "widely known among the cognoscenti of new, experimental and esoteric music and film".[2] At its peak, there were six locations around Manhattan. Its owner was Yongman Kim.

History

The store opened at the site of Kim's dry-cleaning business, and eventually moved to its own location on Avenue A in 1987, which eventually closed in 2004.[3] [4]

It expanded to five other locations, including Mondo Kim's at 6 St. Mark's Place in the East Village, Kim's Underground at 144 Bleecker Street on Laguardia Place, Kim's West at 350 Bleecker Street & West 10th Street, and Kim's Mediapolis at 2906 Broadway.

The last remaining location of Kim's Video & Music, located on 1st Avenue, announced its closure on April 21, 2014.[5]

Mondo Kim's

Mondo Kim's at 6 St. Mark's Place was the most famous of the branch locations. Formerly, the building was the home of the New St. Marks Baths from 1913 to 1985. In June 2005, police raided Mondo Kim's, alleging they were selling bootlegs.[6] [7] It also to a lesser extent, also had a reputation for "ornery" and rude service.

By 2008, Mondo Kim's had over 55,000 rental titles, many of which were rare or esoteric. In September of that year, Kim announced he would be closing Mondo Kim's and giving away the film collection to anyone who could fulfill certain criteria, stipulating that the entire collection was to be taken intact and that Kim's members would continue to have access to the collection wherever it resided. In December 2008, it was reported that the town of Salemi, Sicily had made a successful bid for the collection, as part of a village restoration effort.[8] [9] [10]

In 2012, a Village Voice article entitled "The Strange Fate of Kim's Video" reported that the collection, though remaining intact, had essentially disappeared from public view after arriving in Salemi, and that the initiatives promised by Kim and the government of Salemi remained unfulfilled.[11]

Documentary

On April 1, 2022, filmmakers David Redmon and Ashley Sabin, with assistance from Yongman Kim and Tim League, brought the Kim's Video St. Mark’s Place movie collection back to New York City, after 12 years of being stored in Salemi. Redmon and Sabin chronicled this in their 2023 movie Kim's Video.[12] [13] [14] Kim's Video & Music was relaunched as Kim's Video Underground with the help of the Alamo Drafthouse theater chain. The new store is located in the lobby of Alamo's Lower Manhattan location in the Financial District of Manhattan. The store also now offers 5-day rentals for free.[15]

Notable employees

Kim's was known for its staff,[16] [17] who were described by The Awl as "legendarily knowledgeable and haughty." Some of its employees later went on to successful careers in film, music, and the arts.

Media

Kim's Video (2023) outlines Kim's Video and Music's history, most notably its reacquisition and restoration to New York City; directed and written by David Redmon and Ashley Sabin.

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Lauren. Johnston. Daily News (New York). East Village icon Kim's Video heads to ... Sicily. 31 March 2009. 30 December 2008.
  2. News: New York Times. Thomas. Lueck. Police Raid Video Store in East Village in Piracy Case . 10 June 2005. 31 March 2009.
  3. News: Schmidt . Sarah . 17 October 2004 . The Customer Was Always Right? Not at Kim's Video on Avenue A . 7 May 2010 . The New York Times.
  4. News: Chung . Jen . 18 October 2004 . Kim's Video Closes Its "Mean" Location . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20090204134251/http://gothamist.com/2004/10/18/kims_video_closes_its_mean_location.php . 4 February 2009 . Gothamist.
  5. News: 21 April 2014 . Kim's Video & Music closing its 1st Ave location . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140423053910/http://www.brooklynvegan.com/archives/2014/04/kims_video_musi.html . 23 April 2014 . 21 April 2014 . Brooklyn Vegan.
  6. Web site: Sylvester . Nick . 14 June 2005 . Untold Story of Mondo Kim's Raid . Village Voice . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080803030118/http://www.villagevoice.com/2005-06-14/music/untold-story-of-mondo-kim-s-raid/ . 2008-08-03.
  7. News: Lueck . Thomas J. . 10 June 2005 . Police Raid Video Store in East Village in Piracy Case . 7 May 2010 . The New York Times.
  8. News: La Dolce Video . The New York Times . Sophia . Hollander . 8 February 2009 . 7 May 2010.
  9. Web site: Capone. John. 2 January 2009. Say Ciao to Kim's Video. NBC New York.
  10. News: East Village icon Kim's Video heads to ... Sicily . New York . Daily News . Lauren . Johnston . 30 December 2008.
  11. News: The Strange Fate of Kim's Video . The Village Voice . Karina . Longworth . 12 September 2012 . 12 September 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120913071501/http://www.villagevoice.com/2012-09-12/film/kims-%20video-Sicily/ . 13 September 2012.
  12. News: Cohn . Gabe . Powell . Adam . 2022-03-31 . Kim's Video Is Back. What Even Is a Video Store in 2022? . 2024-01-13 . The New York Times . en-US . 0362-4331.
  13. Web site: Kohn . Eric . 2022-04-06 . Kim's Video Survives at Alamo Drafthouse Alongside the Story of the Filmmaker Who Owns the Collection . 2024-01-13 . IndieWire . en-US.
  14. Web site: Kim's Video Sundance Film Festival . 2024-01-13 . festivalplayer.sundance.org . en.
  15. Web site: Salter . Jake . Kim's Video Is Back In NYC! . . 1 April 2022 . en . 1 April 2022.
  16. http://bedfordandbowery.com/2014/08/the-story-of-kims-video-music-told-by-its-clerks-and-customers/ The Story of Kim’s Video & Music, Told By Its Clerks and Customers.
  17. O'Connor, Brendan. Who Killed Kim's Video? The Awl.
  18. News: WORKING CLASS – DIRECTOR DYLAN KIDD WON'T QUIT THIS DAY JOB. Sara Stewart. New York Post. October 10, 2004. en-US. 2022-08-23.
  19. Tinkham, Chris. Kate Lyn Sheil's Video Past and Netflix Future. Interview'.'
  20. Web site: reRunning Happy Life . 2022-08-23 . Talkhouse . en-US . we both worked at Kim’s Video on St. Marks.
  21. News: April 15, 2024 . Exploring the Early Films of Director Jacqueline Castel, Including Work For Zola Jesus, Moon Duo and More . Self-Titled Magazine . Minneapolis, MN . October 16, 2021 . Parks, Andrew.
  22. Web site: Toe Hoes. 6 November 2019.
  23. Web site: Brian Turner - Freelance | LinkedIn . 2024-02-27.
  24. Web site: WFMU: Brian Turner: Playlists . 2024-02-27.

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