CULLMAN – When Donna Garrett first came to Cullman, she already owned two Movie Factory stores. In 1995 she opened her first location in Hanceville, and then in 1996, she opened her location on Highway 31; both Cullman locations are still in operation and are still owned by Garrett.
“The key to this business, or at least what is our key to success, is personal customer service,” Garrett said.
As The Age of Netflix infiltrated American culture, movie stores in Cullman, local and national chains, struggled and all eventually closed their doors (save for some near Smith Lake, serving weekenders): except Movie Factory.
Garrett said that the reason she is able to keep her doors open is that she follows the business practices that she learned during her time with Radio Shack and Curtis Mathes.
“They are very educational about their managers, and I took that management education and applied it to how I run my businesses now,” she said. “Plus, I’ve had other mentors that have made suggestions and helped me improve things that work for me.”
The fact that Movie Factory is the only major movie rental store that has managed to survive in Cullman seems counterintuitive: it is the local stores that usually fold first when an industry is revolutionized.
But Garrett says it’s just the opposite.
“The problem with Blockbuster and Movie Gallery is that Blockbuster over-expanded, and Movie Gallery wanted to be just like Blockbuster. Their prices were outrageous, and their workers could not have even shown you where the popcorn machine was if you asked them.”
Garrett explained that the situation was more or less the case of a classic tone-deaf and out-of-touch corporation not being able to cater to its customers, while she was in her stores every day, serving her customers personally.
“It’s never been anyone else, really,” she said. “Just me.”
Garrett said that she also keeps a keen eye on which movies are doing well and which aren’t. If a certain movie is not moving, she takes it off the shelves. If one movie is always being rented, she acquires more of that film. It is simple supply and demand that bigger video rental companies sometimes overlooked.
Oh, and she never stocks foreign-language films.
“No subtitles, nothing like that. We serve our clientele,” she said.
She and her dog, Beau, greet every customer when they come in the door like family.
“I think we’re like a bookstore, in a lot of ways,” she said. “People like to come in and hold the thing, speak to someone, interact with others.”
Garrett’s two locations are equally busy.
Along with renting movies and selling Auburn and Alabama merchandise, her stores are also home to tanning beds.
“When the rentals drop off a little bit, the tanning portion picks up the slack,” Garrett said. “They balance each other out.”
Movie Factory is located at 2014 Second Ave. NW in Cullman and 920 Main St. NE in Hanceville.
