Beleaguered video chain Movie Gallery is evaluating whether or not to close another 1000 stores, according to the Wall Street Journal.  The chain’s store count (under the Movie Gallery and Hollywood Video brands) is currently at around 2700, after closing over 400 stores last year (see “Movie Gallery Closing 400+ Stores”).  It had 4500 stores as recently as 2007 (just before it filed for Chapter 11), but has been closing them steadily in response to declining sales and debt pressures. 

Competitor Blockbuster is in the process of closing around 1000 of its stores (see “Blockbuster Closing Nearly 1000 Stores”). 

Mass merchants, Netflix, video-on-demand, and rental kiosks are all pressuring stand-alone video stores, which are turning into an endangered species.