You get the same look of surprise as when Sabrina let a nip slip live on air. Here, things are colorful, just like they used to be. Before Netflix. Before mobile phones. Even before Jordi Hurtado started hosting Saber y Ganar.
You walk into Barcelona's Mercat dels Encants in the middle of 2026 and end up inside an eighties video store. Back when you had to get up from the sofa to go rent a movie.
A CRT television plays Jurassic Park —the original— with less definition than a Leticia Sabater music video. Everything is VHS, of course. Video tapes as far as the eye can see: over 500 titles to choose from. The big hits of that era: The NeverEnding Story, E.T., Ghost, Alien, or Top Gun. All original.
A life-size cardboard He-Man watches over the room from a corner. Even the shelves come from authentic eighties video stores. There's also a Capri Cobra bicycle ready for any Stranger Things-style emergency. In the background, a TV constantly emits static, just in case you need to run towards the light like Carol Anne in Poltergeist.
—Membership number?
The question comes from the video store counter, presided over by a Macintosh Classic II.
—It still works perfectly —
assures José Rico.
Jose Rico is the founder and CEO of Retro Experience BCN, a company specializing in themed events and recreating the nostalgia of the 80s and 90s. A true MacGyver of the vintage world, capable of bringing any collectible back to life: from a complete video store or an arcade to a replica of the DeLorean from Back to the Future.
His business consists of renting out memories and theming events. And the catalog is impressive.
—If it exists, we have it.
Between Viladecans and Castelldefels, he has accumulated over 400 collectible items spread across various spaces. There are arcade machines, pinball machines, CRT televisions, iconic cars from cinema and television, life-size figures, and even a life-size Star Wars X-Wing.
—Nobody in Europe has this —he states.
On April 18th, they will precisely install this setup at La Farga de l'Hospitalet as part of the Super 90's Festival, where Darth Vader himself will act as master of ceremonies in a true time tunnel dedicated to pop culture.
And how much does a VHS tape cost today?
—Up to 500 euros for a copy of Alien.
The price depends on the movie, the edition, and its condition.
—This copy of Top Gun could be worth between 30 and 40 euros. But if you have hard-to-find titles, like The Black Cauldron or certain editions of Jaws, you can easily reach 200 or 300 euros.
However, the most discerning collectors specifically seek tapes from old video stores.
—They had better quality than many home copies.
José knows this well. In his private collection alone, he keeps over 400 original VHS tapes, true relics from an era when rewinding was mandatory and choosing a movie was part of the adventure.
You walk into Barcelona's Mercat dels Encants in the middle of 2026 and end up inside an eighties video store. Back when you had to get up from the sofa to go rent a movie.
A CRT television plays Jurassic Park —the original— with less definition than a Leticia Sabater music video. Everything is VHS, of course. Video tapes as far as the eye can see: over 500 titles to choose from. The big hits of that era: The NeverEnding Story, E.T., Ghost, Alien, or Top Gun. All original.
A life-size cardboard He-Man watches over the room from a corner. Even the shelves come from authentic eighties video stores. There's also a Capri Cobra bicycle ready for any Stranger Things-style emergency. In the background, a TV constantly emits static, just in case you need to run towards the light like Carol Anne in Poltergeist.
—Membership number?
The question comes from the video store counter, presided over by a Macintosh Classic II.
—It still works perfectly —
assures José Rico.
Jose Rico is the founder and CEO of Retro Experience BCN, a company specializing in themed events and recreating the nostalgia of the 80s and 90s. A true MacGyver of the vintage world, capable of bringing any collectible back to life: from a complete video store or an arcade to a replica of the DeLorean from Back to the Future.
His business consists of renting out memories and theming events. And the catalog is impressive.
—If it exists, we have it.
Between Viladecans and Castelldefels, he has accumulated over 400 collectible items spread across various spaces. There are arcade machines, pinball machines, CRT televisions, iconic cars from cinema and television, life-size figures, and even a life-size Star Wars X-Wing.
—Nobody in Europe has this —he states.
On April 18th, they will precisely install this setup at La Farga de l'Hospitalet as part of the Super 90's Festival, where Darth Vader himself will act as master of ceremonies in a true time tunnel dedicated to pop culture.
And how much does a VHS tape cost today?
—Up to 500 euros for a copy of Alien.
The price depends on the movie, the edition, and its condition.
—This copy of Top Gun could be worth between 30 and 40 euros. But if you have hard-to-find titles, like The Black Cauldron or certain editions of Jaws, you can easily reach 200 or 300 euros.
However, the most discerning collectors specifically seek tapes from old video stores.
—They had better quality than many home copies.
José knows this well. In his private collection alone, he keeps over 400 original VHS tapes, true relics from an era when rewinding was mandatory and choosing a movie was part of the adventure.
