Video City has acquired Philadelphia-based West Coast Entertainment, in a move that will make it the fifth largest video rental chain in the United States, according to Variety.
The move gives the Torrance-based Video City 244 more company-owned and 126 franchise stores in the Midwest and on the East Coast, Variety says. Video City now owns and operates 96 stores in twelve states, after operating only 18 stores in early 1998.
West Coast lost $3 million in the May quarter this year, compared with earning $498,000 in the same period a year ago - a position Variety says made it ripe for a takeover.
Video City's buying West Coast Entertainment is the largest video chain acquisition since Viacom bought Blockbuster Video in 1994. Both Video City and West Coast are regular carriers of adult-oriented video entertainment.
