Additional video rental stores to close in County

Two more Movie Gallery stores in Aiken County are closing after the company filed for bankruptcy last month, according to store officials.

The stores on Silver Bluff Road and West Martintown Road in North Augusta are now included among hundreds of Movie Gallery, Hollywood Video and Game Crazy store locations slated to close after the movie rental chain filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Feb. 2.

Local store officials would not comment further on the closings, and calls made to corporate offices were not returned at press time.

When the announcement was initially made, Movie Gallery stores on East Gate Drive and on York Street were included in the list of store closings by the company.

When the four stores officially close, only the stores on Jefferson Davis Highway and Marketplace Drive in North Augusta will remain.

Last month, Movie Gallery officials said the¬ restructuring¬ process would include¬ the¬ immediate¬ liquidation¬ and¬ closure¬ of¬ approximately¬ 760¬ stores¬ in¬ the¬ country, including 1,111 Movie Gallery stores, 545 Hollywood Video stores and 250 Game Crazy locations. Officials also said more stores could close as the process continued.

Customers are asked to return outstanding rentals within a reasonable time frame. The company will also offer prepaid shipping envelopes for customers to return items.

All current gift cards will continue to be honored at remaining stores or customers can exchange their cards for an online version that can be used at www.moviegallery.com.

Membership programs such as PowerPlay will not be renewed at closing stores.

For more information, call Movie Gallery's customer relations hotline at (877) 244-6684.

Contact April Bailey at abailey@aikenstandard.com.