I really like the Sega Master System. My brother used to rent it back when it was new, and I'm still surprised that was actually possible. We lived in a really small town (practically on the country) and the store renting it had absolutely nothing to do with video games or anything (it was a convenience store).
I don't think it was just the northeast. Here in Iowa, one of the bigger (locally, anyway) Convenience stores is Casey's. They do the regular convenience store stuff, but they also rented videos, and games, and made pizza. the movies and games were the lowest common denominator type stuff (NES and VHS, of course); they got out of that business. But they still do pizza, which is acceptable. (better than pizza hut, IMHO; their crust is too greasy.)
But, back to the SMS: There was one video store in Glenwood, IA called Captain Video. They rented videos (VHS _and_ Beta up until 1989 when we moved away) and Videogames. They carried NES games, of course (legal battle? what legal battle?) And SMS games as well. The first time I played an SMS was in that store; and it would be the last time I would touch one for nearly a decade.
Once we moved, the nearest videostore was an odd mom-n-pop with a crappy selection; of games and videos at least. They also sold Higher-end TVs and Satellite equipment. We stopped going because they's always try to sell you their video equipment. (They might have had laserdiscs, but I may be misremembering.) cant remember the name, tho.
Then, there was the 'video village'. this was in the same mini-mall as the grocery store. (but not inside it, so it didn't suck like those always do.) we had a good exuse to rent games every week. I'm pretty sure this is the first time I saw Genesis games. Once the SNES came out, however, the SNES slowly overtook the Genesis selection. Which suited me fine, having a SNES, but I secretly coveted the Genny.
Eventually, a Blockbuster opened up the hill; this was about the time my brother got a Playstation, and 'buster had a better 32 bit selection; so we stopped going to the village.
The fate of these stores:
Casey's is still around, and expanding (there are now 2 within 5 minutes drive of my house; 10 years ago there were none) minus the mini videostore. but they have taken to selling little figurines.
Captain video is weird: Last I saw (a year ago at best) it was oddly combined with a radio shack. All traces of Beta, NES and SMS were gone. (i asked the clerk if they had anything in the back room they couldn't get rid of. no dice.)
Video village is just gone. Went out of business a couple years after 'buster came by; the building has since been demolished; a new grocery store (same company) was built over it.
Last but not least, there is the one whose name I've forgotten. Oddly enough, this is the only place I 'scored'; took about 10 NES games from their back room off their hands. Still had boxes, even. The 'property of' stickers were a pest to remove, tho.
< /reminisce >
