Bend soon will have the world’s last Blockbuster store

In just a few weeks, Bend no longer will have just the last Blockbuster movie rental store in the U.S. – it will be the last one left in the world.

The store off Third Street at Revere Avenue in northeast Bend got a global shot of attention and publicity last summer, when the last two Blockbusters in Alaska closed down, leaving the humble Bend store next to a Papa Murphy’s Pizza as the last one standing in the U.S.

Australian media reports in recent days said the last Blockbuster video store in the land Down Under was closing down. Located in the Perth suburb of Morley, it will close at the end of the month, and that’s brought similar sadness from video-rental faithful in a world of streaming on demand. Their closing sale begins Friday.

There were more than 9,000 Blockbuster stores at the peak in 2004. The tourist crowd still winds its way to the Bend store — if not to rent a movie, then to leave with some memorabilia, such as a T-shirt, sticker — even a beer produced in its name.