A Little Bit of our History

Fastlane Video was started back in February 10, 1989 in the garage of our parent's home in East Los Angeles by my brother Eddie & myself Martin. Offering FREE Home delivery and pick-up with a two movie minimum which included popcorn for $5. Today we continue our FREE POPCORN SPECIAL / MONDAY - THURSDAY with a 2 movie rental, but no longer offer delivery or pick-up. Times have changed from the original standard of renting VHS to the new advanced technology of DVD, BLU-RAY and the latest format 4K. Many customers loved the home delivery, but like all movie fans. They wanted to come into the store and read the box cover and see what else can catch their attention. Sadly, after 1 year of home delivery, in the summer of 1990 we moved from East Los Angeles to 8535 Washington Blvd, Pico Rivera, California and discontinued our home delivery service and started renting like every traditional video store with VCR’s, Nintendo, Sega Genesis Game systems, Games along with the popular VHS movies. (Special event with the release of the title “TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES”) In September of 1992, my brother Eddie continued with his printing company “FASTLANE PRINTING” and we departed our ways, but I continued to expand and move to a bigger location and added music. Fastlane Video & Records 12608 Hadley St. Whittier, California specializing in 12" records for dj's, but then Napster destroyed the music industry where most of the music is now digital "mp3" (My younger sister Sandra and myself) (DJ MANN-E along with Strictly Rhythm’s House Music Recording Artist Jack & Jill) After 10 years of video and music we also started to rent Playstation Game Systems with CD Games. We had to finally call it quits on music, for most dj’s went from the transition of analog 12” records and turntables to the FREE digital world of mp3’s of laptop computers. On September 26, 2002 we moved right across the street where we are currently at 12726 Hadley St, Whittier, California right next door to Little Caesar’s Pizza and discontinued the music. (But made a better combo “Pizza and a Movie”) When we started renting VHS, all big department stores starting using VHS to get customers into their stores as a loss-leader, but now we continue to compete against the depreciating value of vending machines and the digital world from multi-billion dollar corporations and smart phones. With so many years in the rental entertainment, we continue to notice that customers want something more than a vending machine or a screen to swipe. They want someone to help them find what they are looking for and someone that can help them with any problems they might encounter with their movies and that’s "Customer Service" With the closing of video stores, it’s sad that only 1 Blockbuster store in Oregon remains open. We’re so grateful to see the smiles of the families that continue to visit us to see what they will find on the counter or shelf that they may enjoy that evening with their family, especially to all that walk in just to relive their childhood moments when they rented movies with their parents and had many memorable nights. In December of 2016, I was going to close the doors of Fastlane Video. I was diagnosed with a cancerous tumor on my left tonsil. After 2 surgeries, 30 radiations, 6 chemotherapy sessions, all the prayers and support from all the customers and with God's Blessings, we're still open and hopefully we will continue to bring smiles and great memories to all the children that enjoy spending their time watching movies with their families for many more years…. Thank you for your continued support Especially to all the family and friends that have helped throughout the years. Martin Felix (Owner) Fastlane Video Family owned and operated since 1989 (My son’s Sebastian & Marcus) Annual Christmas Drawings

We might not be big nationwide, but to Marisol Medina/Cadena we are big to her heart and she wanted to share our story with many listeners on the radio on KQED NEWS on The California Report Magazine (click and listen or read her full article)