DVD rental machines

Friday, July 30th 2004, 2:11 pm

By: News On 6

Blockbuster, NetFlix, pay per view, all ways we can watch movies in the comfort of our own homes. New on 6 reporter Rick Wells has found a new business in the area trying to change the way we rent our movies.

Looking to rent â€˜Cheaper By The Dozenâ€™ with Steve Martin or maybe it's Nicole Kidman in â€˜Cold Mountain.â€™ You can get them or any of the more than 200 titles out of a vending machine at the Kicks 66 store at 81st and US Highway 169.

â€œCome in get your movie while you're filling your gas tank at the pump." Allen Molyneux saw an ad for these machines on TV and decided it might be something he could do. "They say you're gonna get rich, but I'm just looking for a little extra income."

He's a security guard by night and during the daytime he keeps track of the movie rental machines.

Joel Cole the manager of the store says the machine's been here about 6 weeks and it's catching on. "Seems to be user friendly, and everybody likes the novelty of it."

Molyneux says it's like a high tech pop machine except it dispenses movies rather than soda. It has a touch screen that walks you through the process, you can get up to three movies at a time, and each is rented for $1.79 a day.

There is no cash involved; it's strictly a credit card operation. The titles are fairly current, with new releases every week. "We get the same releases Blockbuster and the others get."

And there's access to all the snacks and drinks you'll need. So far there are only two machines in the area, the one at 81st and US Highway 169 and one in the Walgreenâ€™s in Claremore.

If they prove to be successful, more rental machines could follow.