After 31 years John’s Video Palace almost gave up its ghost, but in movie style fashion a hero showed up out of nowhere. The Atascadero locally owned video rental store (yes, they still exist) came close to shutting its doors for good when another local business pitched in a helping hand.
Jodi Bloom owner of a local florist shop, Bloom N Grow, reached out to John Taft after hearing about the Palace’s plight on Facebook. The two quickly worked out a rental agreement for the space available next door to her shop located at 9955 El Camino Real near the Atascadero Post Office. Taft made the arrangement official by signing the agreement on Thursday, May 30 and told Paso Robles Magazine that the new store will open at the beginning of July. However, Paso residents do not have to drive to Atascadero to rent videos, there is a Video Palace in Paso located at 124 Niblick Road.
Jodi Bloom, Owner of Bloom N Grow
Bloom said that the community has been a great support throughout her 30 years of business and appreciates how local business help each other. With the plaza being filled with mom and pop shops, Bloom said she passed on a lucrative deal to rent out her entire property to a “smoke shop.” Instead, Bloom took the loss and left the space vacant since September 2018.
“I couldn’t in any good conscience move them in here,” said Bloom, “so, I’m glad that I held out and waited.”
