Spotlight Video

Not many movie stores left in Arcata. If you want to rent, then this is the place. If you get late fees, fear not — they have tons of forgiveness specials.
For tanning, they have one level 2 laydown bed (12 minutes). Lotions are over priced, but the tan packages are great. They do several sales on tans for back to school, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine’s day, and other holidays. The best sales I’ve seen so far were Back to school (August) and Black Friday (November). You can get the 20 tan package for $ 50-%60.
First tan is free is you get a friend to refer you. Which I will gladly be that friend because I get a free tan too. Send me message for a referral!

The selection of movies is pretty good. They are willing to hold a video for me if they have it in until I get over to pick it up. They are friendly and nice. They will always go search for a movie so I don’t have to spend a lot of time looking. I’m giving it 3 stars because quite often, the movies are so scratched they stop playing mid movie. But, they told me, if you check the DVD before leaving the store, the staff will run it through their cleaning machine for you. They have some pretty good deals once in a while. Can’t comment on tanning.

Love this place, I come here about 3x a week for movies with my wife. Everyone is super helpful and nice to talk with. I also do tanning here because I need more sunlight than Humboldt has to offer, they’re nice, accommodating, and informative. Craig is super helpful and his movie suggestions are legit.

I’m giving this place 3 stars because when I fist came in to sign up for a membership Tina was very helpful and nice. I think the tanning prices are way to high for what they offer but they do have good deals every once in a while. One thing that really shocked me was I signed up for a membership Jan. 31^st (plus my free tan for new members) expecting to get a full 30−31days of tanning period. So technically my month started Feb. 1^st. I made my appointment march 1^st expecting I only had about 2 – 3 more days left since feb. Only has 28 days in the month I just found if very strange that he told me once the first of the month comes your membership is over. So if I bought a member ship in the middle of the month would it still be over the 1^st of the next month? Anyways I’m rambling now but I’ve been tanning for years and I wasn’t too happy with the way this one works. There isn’t much of a selection to tan here in Humboldt county so I’m sure I will be back here it’s close to home and convienant.

Maybe it’s bc they don’t know if they’re a video rental or a tanning salon that the employees know nothing about movies. And that’s just one of the things wrong with this store. I find it really frustrating when after spending time deciding what movies to rent I get to the counter to be told that the movie I chose is actually all checked out & they keep a box of the movie on the shelf anyway to show customers that they will have that movie, once it’s returned. And another thing that is completely frustrating is that the box you’re allowed to take home with you after renting a movie doesn’t have any description of the movie, instead it’s littered with advertisments for their store! So when I get home & the family asks me what movies I rented I have to try to explain to them what I got instead of being able to just let them read the box cover. So with so many frustrating attributes & than to top it all off their not local it’s needless to say I won’t be spending any more money here.

The Arcata manager NEVER called me. A few days later I called at 10:00 am and made a tanning appointment with Tina (store manager) for 10:30 am. She NEVER got any message to call me from Billy OR Stephanie! She had no clue what had happened. She at least offered two tanning sessions for no charge. I’m not going back there. You shouldn’t either.

I like this video store. They have a decent enough selection of new and old movies, and the prices are fair. As far as customer service, the people are really helpful and friendly. I’ve never encountered an attitude at this store (as noted in the previous review). The employees often go out of their way to help me when I’m trying to find a movie without the title in mind or relate actors to movies and such, before looking them up.

I go to Spotlight once in a while when Figuereido’s doesn’t have what I’m looking for. They have a fair selection, placing *heavy* emphasis on new releases. In fact, several tables’ worth of new releases are for sale near the front of the store.
Okay here come the gripes: Without fail, a clerk always, Always, ALWAYS greets you at the door. There is nothing more irritating than an insincere «Hi, how ya doing?!» the second you walk in the door. It’s gotten to where I brace myself for the assault. I’m sure it’s part of the company policy because, I’m telling you, these clerks would greet the freaking Invisible Man. You can tell it’s fake because the second you answer «I’m okay» or whatever, they’re already off doing something else.
Also, whereas Fig’s will have an actual movie playing on the in-​store TVs, Spotlight runs these seriously LOUD movie-​commercials. Just play a stinkin’ movie, guys!
Memo to Spotlight: The reason we’re in your store to begin with instead of ordering NetFlix is because we want a retail experience that lets us browse peacefully and unmolested, like in a bookstore. Loud, crappy commercials and fake greetings = major buzz kill.

Why isn’t anyone suing these guys? Everything they have ever done is a blatant rip off of the more well-​know chain Hollywood Video. I mean, the sign is exactly the same, membership cards, exact match. (I even accidentally pulled out my Hollywood Video card to rent videos there.) Everything. They even have multiple locations! Is Humboldt County that far removed that no one even cares about copyright infringment? It is ridiculous, I mean, look it up, you’ll see what I mean. They dont even have that great of movies. They do have an «adult» section though, that got them the extra star.