Ellicott City, Local Blockbuster Stores to Remain Open

More closures are on the way for Blockbuster stores in the next few months, but the Ellicott City store does not appear to be among them.

Dish Network is closing more than 500 Blockbuster stores nationwide. The satellite TV provider bought the Blockbuster chain last April (2011).

The company disclosed in its recent quarterly report that a third of the remaining stores would be closed in the first half of 2012, due to "weak store-level financial performance"--stores which are losing money or barely making a profit. The closings were first made public in a report by Reuters News.

A manager at the Ellicott City store stressed that the local store will remain open. "We are not closing... [nothing like that has been discussed] since Dish network took over last year." 

The Ellicott City store is one of only two Blockbusters stores remaining in Howard County. A manager at the Columbia Blockbuster, the other remaining area location, said that Blockbuster location will also remain open.

Dish Network, however, declined comment on which individual stores are closing. In a statement to Patch, the company said "we cannot confirm which stores are closing."

"We remain committed to maintaining only those stores we believe will be able to operate profitably," the statement continued.

For stores which do close, Blockbuster "intends to relocate as many employees as possible to other stores," the company added.

The latest round of closings will leave only about 1,000 stores remaining, according to MSN Money.

Since acquiring the chain, Dish Network reports a series of Blockbuster-branded services have increased subscribers. In addition to retail stores, the company provides movies and video games through multiple venues including by mail, digital devices, web streaming, and online.