I've driven past this shop for years, and as someone with experience in video conversion, I've…read morealways been curious about what sort of systems were set up inside. Their website looks straight out of the 90s. There's a lot of information, but I was floored by the fact that I could only order a conversion by **printing out and mailing in an order form** until I saw the fine print that said "walk-ins welcome". I had an old Betamax tape that I didn't have the equipment to convert, so I finally had a reason to stop by! I expected to find a 40-something in a clean, technologically up-to-date shop who could look at a piece of media and digitize it to a file type of your choosing. But stepping into Video Lab is like stepping back in time - decked out like a library with stacks and stacks of VCRs and cables, it looks like it could be a vintage bootleg server room. There's a life-size cutout of John Wayne and a variety of stickers that make the proprietor's politics apparent. The customer area is just a tiny sliver next to the front door blocked off by a counter, which gives the place the air of a museum exhibit to be observed from afar. I stood at the counter for maybe 20 seconds with no sign of life until a man shuffled out from around a corner. He didn't acknowledge me so I started the conversation. If I remember correctly, Steve's been running this shop since around 1982, and I get the sense that he stopped updating his processes once DVDs became the dominant media format. He plays a tape in real time while it burns to a DVD and watches TV in the background to fill the time. I was disappointed that he only offered to convert to DVD. My tape conversion was ready within 24 hours. Since DVDs have not been the dominant media format for close to a decade, my plan was just to rip the video to my hard drive and toss the disc. However, the disc wouldn't play in my Samsung DVD player, so I brought it back along with some of my equipment with the hope that I could just connect my computer to his Betamax player to import the tape directly. He seemed baffled by the request but invited me to step back into the stacks of players and helped me hook up my computer. Sitting there waiting for my tape to import, I marveled at the setup and thought about how much fun it'd be to help him streamline the operation. As we were chatting, I asked him why he was only offering DVDs instead of more versatile solutions like thumb drives, and he suggested that there wasn't demand for it. This surprised me, but he did have piles of finished orders on the counter so I suppose he's doing fine.

Truly happy with this experience and the product! I did some research on the places where you send…read moreyour VHS tapes to be dubbed. They were more money than I expected to or wanted to pay and there was up to a 6-week turnaround! So I remembered this tiny little place right around 56th and South Tacoma Way. I called and spoke with Steve. My first concern was with the copyright on an obscure exercise video from 1994 that was never made into a DVD. He immediately said copyrights expire after 25 years. I live about 3 or 4 miles away from there, so I popped into my car and drove right over. He quoted $24.95 plus tax, cash. ($27.49) He told me it would be ready the next day! So after phone call from him the following day, I popped back into my car and went back. I am deliriously happy that I will be able to use an exercise format that helped me lose over 50 lb back in the day. (I'm a little creakier and only need to lose about 15, but I know this video works for me.) the only place I have for a VCR has about three square feet of area in which to move. Now I can use my living room! I am viewing it as I write this, and I find it to be of perfect quality. In less than 24 hours! Steve was a pleasure to deal with and I can't find any reason why I would not go back once I find more things to convert! Definite 10 / 10 !

If you're a multi-format, physical media lover, you've reached heaven. In an era when video stores…read moreceased to exist due to a gross miscalculation of the need for cloud infrastructure, Scarecrow Video restores the lost order. The films I checked out were The Visitors and Cast a Deadly Spell (part of the H.P. Lovecraft series) both perfect picks that I never would've stumbled on through an algorithm. Not to mention, there is a HUGE array of specialty and genre-specific films that can only be found on Blu-ray and/or DVD. And that's before you even get to the VHS and Laserdisc sections, which are very much alive and well here. The staff is friendly, welcoming, and warm, and they clearly enjoy where they work. I personally love their custom system of film organization sections broken down by theme, country, and some genuinely inspired niche categories that you won't find anywhere else. Also, the privately curated, rare graphic zines at the check-out counter are absolutely worth a glance. What's easy to overlook? This place is a registered nonprofit and the largest independent physical media library in the country, with over 150,000 titles. Many are out of print and flat-out unstreamable, titles that don't exist on Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, or anywhere else combined. Supporting a membership here isn't just convenient, it's genuinely keeping film history alive.

This slice of perfectly preserved retro goodness has it all. Mr. T's Be Somebody or Be Somebody's…read moreFool afterschool special--they have it on video tape. Need a VCR, they got a few. That collection of obscure shorts where a cat convinces another cat to cut off its tail, but don't worry, it's actually a play you find out in the end, it's not only there, but the person working the counter has a recommendation for you if you liked that one. Jackie Chan's complete collection, rare imports and all, yep. Not sure what you want to watch, but you want be in one of the most special authentically vintage places on the planet, Scarecrow Video.

One of my favorite places to get games and everything else I need in north seattle. Always a good…read moretime stopping by here

Been going to this shop for years, and it's amazing. Trading games is great because I don't get f'd…read moreover by stupid prices and the owner is such a chill guy. You could honestly go in there just to chat and you'll leave satisfied. The shop isnt just a shop it's like a little community gamer spot. - amazing customer service - employees/ owners are amazing people - great amount of games/ other gamer related products - come to the shop it's worth it!

Great place to study or meet with friends to catch up. Very positive vibe they have used and new…read morebooks and they do both wine and coffee I love this place

THE DUSTY SHELF: WHERE COFFEE MEETS CARVED SWAYZE SANCTUARY…read more Listen, their pour-over coffee is a masterpiece - each cup meticulously prepared with water so pure it makes angels weep. BUT CAN WE TALK ABOUT THE LIFE-SIZED HAND-CARVED CEDAR STATUE OF PATRICK SWAYZE FROM "POINT BREAK" DOING A PERFECT BACKSIDE AIR WHILE HOLDING AN ESPRESSO CUP? It's positioned by the cream and sugar station with such precision that when the morning light hits it, even the FBI agents would cry. Their Earl Grey is sourced from a secret garden tended by tea mystics. Whatever. Because I just witnessed the unveiling of their newest masterpiece: a mahogany Swayze in full "Dirty Dancing" lift pose, holding aloft not Jennifer Grey, but a perfectly balanced chai latte. The craftsmanship on those wooden dance pants is UNPRECEDENTED. Sure, their single-origin Ethiopian beans are hand-selected by monks who've taken a vow of excellent taste. But let's talk about what's really important: the rotating display of "Road House" Swayze carvings, each depicting a different roundhouse kick frozen in pine and oak. The one where he's simultaneously bouncing a troublemaker AND pulling a perfect shot of espresso? *chef's kiss* The baristas can discuss coffee varietals with scholarly precision, but can they explain why I just spent three hours staring at the intricate detail work on the "Ghost" sculpture where Swayze's wooden hands are simultaneously throwing pottery AND tamping espresso grounds? The artist even carved tiny clay spatter on his rolled-up sleeves! Their matcha ceremony is a testament to tradition. Cool. But have you seen the walnut Swayze from "Black Dog" arm-wrestling a bear while balancing a French press on his head? They say it took seven master carvers and one Patrick Swayze historian to get the mullet exactly right. The wall of Swayze isn't just art - it's a timeline of cinematic history carved in exotic hardwoods. They've arranged the statues chronologically, with special lighting that makes them appear to dance at exactly 3:17 PM every day. I've rearranged my entire work schedule around this miracle. Five stars for their beverage program - their commitment to craft is outstanding. But INFINITE SWAYZE stars for creating the world's first coffee shop/Swayze sculpture garden. I've started hosting guided tours. Tuesday's theme is "From 'The Outsiders' to Outer Bark: A Journey Through Wooden Swayze Evolution." P.S. I heard they're commissioning a new piece: Swayze from "To Wong Foo" carved entirely from rare purple heartwood. I've already taken out a second mortgage to fund my daily visits during the carving process. P.P.S. The pastries are excellent too, but have you seen how they're displayed on shelves supported by brackets carved to look like Swayze's perfectly chiseled jawline? That's attention to detail. Note: To the health inspector who questioned whether wooden Swayze statues belong near food preparation areas - clearly you've never experienced the purifying power of Patrick's carved gaze watching over your coffee grinding technique. Special Addendum: I'm not saying they should add more, but I am saying there's a conspicuous lack of "Steel Dawn" Swayze wielding a sword made of coffee stirrers. Just an observation. Remember: Nobody puts Swayze in the corner. They put him on handcrafted pedestals made from reclaimed barn wood, illuminated by vintage Edison bulbs that make his wooden muscles glisten like morning dew on a coffee leaf.

Good service lots of Indian groceries items available good parking space check out this placeread more

An update - June 2024. Remodeled. Very clean. A great…read morevariety of neatly stacked products, the fresh fruit and veg section looks fantastic. Really happy to see you all back and happy to see it gleaming!

When I was looking for some indoor activities to get away from the rain I was pleasantly surprised…read moreto see that UW has bowling alleys on their campus! Not only do they have bowling but they also have board games, arcade games, and pool tables all for the enjoyment of students. I came here just for their bowling but it looked so fun I might just come back for their other activities. For bowling they allow you to play by the game or by the hour. They also allow you to book all 12 lanes for a private event. All of the prices are on their website and they were all pretty reasonable. They also have discounts for faculty, staff, and students. We played three games with two pairs of shoe rentals and the total came out to be about $30 with a UW staff discount. Our lane malfunctioned once but one of the workers was swift in helping us resolve the problem so we could continue having our fun. The facilities were pretty clean and overall we both had a great time. Most people were students but even as a visitor I still felt welcomed. It made me feel old being in the college atmosphere around all these youngins but at the same time I felt like I looked like them and probably could've fit right in. One thing that made me feel old though: the worker at the front asked for my ID and my mind defaulted to my driver's license and the worker replied, "Oh, I meant your student ID." Ouch.

This place is amazing! Went on a Saturday afternoon , the crowd was perfect. We were able to bowl…read moreand play arcade games all evening.