Sumith Prasad
Netflix’s sitcom ‘Blockbuster’ revolves around the last operating Blockbuster video rental store in the world, located in the city of Iron Creek, in the state of Michigan. Timmy Yoon, the manager of the store, realizes the significance of the store in the community of Iron Creek since Blockbuster is a place where conversations happen between the good folks of the city. To protect the store, Timmy tries his best to increase subscriptions and appeal to the city by conducting various events. Since Iron Creek and the impact of the last Blockbuster store in the community are integral parts of the show, we have found out whether the former really exists. Well, let us share what we found!
Is Iron Creek a Real Place?
In the show, Iron Creek is an idyllic community in Michigan where life revolves around tiny bits of happiness. In reality, Iron Creek is the name of a stream that flows through Washtenaw County rather than a city or community in the Great Lake State. However, considering the similarity of the names, Iron Creek can be a fictionalized version of Iron River, a city located in Iron County in Michigan. Like Iron Creek, Iron River is an idyllic region with a population of only around three thousand. The forest land and scenic lakes in the region make Iron River a pleasing city.
Whether or not Iron Creek is a real place, the significance of the setting relies on how the community needs and deserves a Blockbuster store when around nine thousand of them got shut down. By placing the final store in a region like Iron Creek, creator Vanessa Ramos succeeds in depicting how the place sets the stage for interaction between community members, even though the world is immersed in the world of the internet. Blockbuster’s presence in the small community gives the people living in the region a space to unwind.
Was There a Blockbuster Store in Iron Creek?
At Blockbuster’s peak, the company reportedly had around nine thousand stores around the world. Around one hundred and fifty of them were located in the state of Michigan. Thus, it is possible that there was a Blockbuster store in Iron River or at least in a nearby region in Iron County. However, the last operating Blockbuster wasn’t or isn’t located in Iron River or anywhere in Michigan for that matter. The store is located in the city of Bend, Oregon. In 2019, the store became the last operating Blockbuster in the world and since then, it has been seemingly considered a shrine to honor and celebrate the memory of Blockbuster stores that do not exist anymore.
Like the Blockbuster store in the show, the “Last Blockbuster” is heavily involved in the community of Bend, which is also another city that resembles Iron Creek, although it is located in Oregon. Like Timmy aspires to make his store a community center where people converse with each other and strengthen their bond, Sandi Harding, the manager of the Bend store, also wishes to support her community through her store, mostly by conducting relevant events. To offer an example, in May 2022, the store hosted a Suicide Awareness Day.
Read More: Is Timmy Based on a Real Blockbuster Owner?
