Recommends

JRIKER9

Joined 4 years ago

Best NYC Video shop and electronic store. Hi everyone, I am writing my first review ever, so be patient with me. I have been to Alan's Alley recently and was shocked at how polite and helpful everybody was. I left my reading glasses in the car and they went to the trouble to read all the details of the videos I was looking for. They were so nice to me. I got to meet Alan himself, he took the time to chit chat with me and my wife and we were treated so nice by him that we joined his video establishment. I go there now instead of using their free delivery. I like the feel of this friendly, down home feeling we get when we drop by. I get better deals in that place then any place else. If I need a replacement they honor it with a smile. Alan's Alley is the only video, electronics and other hard to find things and I found something I couldn't find for years in there. We will always remain members. You got to check this place out. Tell Alan Jim and Elizabeth sent you. Thanks.

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motherbro

Joined 5 years ago

Great recommendations; feels like home; don't miss the experience. Okay, this is a little gem of a place. It's crammed to the gills with obscure video but unlike blockbuster or those other chains, there is personal service. Alan is a true gem--knows his stuff. Go in and get a recommendation and you will not be disappointed. Most of the staff loves movies and I have been amazed when the younger crew comes up with some amazing choices. Plus, there are antiques, a cool cat and a weird assortment of stuff. These places are disappearing and this one's worth going into. Just stay away from Friday night if you want to quietly browse.

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Newyorking

Joined 9 years ago

Very good collection. I found this store on citysearch, and have been a member since. I was fed up of looking for movies in blockbuster and not finding them. I also cancelled my membership with Netflix because their DVDs are mostly damaged. That is when I found Alan's Alley, and they have a wonderful collection. You can find many many movies from the IMDB collection, and they are of excellent quality. I would highly recommend this place. Its quite tiny and has a huge collection. I also call in beforehand so that they keep a title aside for me. It is a little expensive (although less than Blockbuster), and I do find the late fees a little high, but all in all its a very good place to rent from.

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leswyg

Joined 8 years ago

Finally, a great video store!. I stumbled upon Alan's Alley after resigning myself to the sad fact that New York, unlike Portland Oregon (aka Movie Madness on S.E. Belmont), lacks a store such as Alan's Alley. I had a list of four somewhat obscure movies. Alan's had every single one. And better yet, the man who helped me knew each movie well. The store includes aisles upon aisles of old movies organized by director name. But wait, there's furniture for sale too! This store is a gem.

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dabear

Joined 10 years ago

Remember that film?. Did you ever have that conversation about some film you saw ten years ago? And then you go try and find it? For a long time, I could never find it. Then I found Alan's Alley. At Allen's Alley you not only find it, but Alan will tell you seven other things about the movie you didn't know, somebody else on staff will give you two movies on the same subject (just as good and probably just as obscure). If you've ever wanted to see that film, the one you haven't seen in twenty years, just go describe it to someone on Alan's staff and an hour later you'll be watching it.

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Contributor

Joined 10 years ago

A quirky, service-oriented store that humors the owner's taste and your every whim.. The 411
Alan's Alley Video is well-stocked with both recent releases and harder-to-find fare, boasting the "best selection of classic Hollywood films on video." And yes, there is a namesake: Alan Sklar started the place in 1988 to indulge his interest in foreign and indie films. Recently, he also made antiques part of the store; the Alley now sells Fiestaware, vintage furniture and other treasures found by Alan at upstate estate sales.

Why We Love It
With its friendly-neighborhood-library vibe, this civic-minded store emphasizes unusual services. It helped put on local film festivals and donated tapes to community projects; it takes fax orders and offers fax and copy services; it can special-order videos to buy and it delivers rentals (for free in Chelsea). With over 20,000 titles and countless hours of catalogued documentary footage, Alan's also does research for filmmakers, casting directors and ad agencies.