seriously, the worst part of our moving out of the burgh is the total lack of dreaming antedness in our lives. my partner and i are big movie watchers, and we love everything -- from trashy... More >
seriously, the worst part of our moving out of the burgh is the total lack of dreaming antedness in our lives. my partner and i are big movie watchers, and we love everything -- from trashy hollywood flicks (particularly ones with boobs and 'splosions) to them foreign ones with subtitles an'at to indie to rom coms to classics to cheesy. not only did the dreaming ant offer us virtually the entire gamut of our movie tastes, but the staff was always ready and willing to offer suggestions as to what we might like to try when we were stuck for ideas. kind of makes you nostalgic for the old days when ALL local business really took the time to get to know their customers don't it? 'cause the dreaming ant isn't just an amazing dvd renatl spot, it's an incredible local business that doesn't just SERVE its community -- the dreaming ant IS A PART of it.
as for the rental fee -- you really can't beat $1/day, walking into the store to browse for the movie you knew you wanted and the several others you didn't know you wanted before you walked in. not to mention the same day service (yea we use netflix now that we are out of state but we HATE waiting for the next deliver! ugh!). and oh yes -- the dreaming ant also offers a variety of discounts that can help shave off a few dollars here and there for the financially conscious (or the movie addicts, depending on which one fits your bill!).
seriously i could rave about the dreaming ant all day long, so i'll just stop here with JUST. RENT. ANT.
Pros: only the best dvd rental shop this side of the mississippi
Cons: no mail order!
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the Dreaming Ant has movie that go beyond mainstream hollywood. providing not just a glimpse, but a full view of the world in it's foreign, documentary, glbt, independent and cult film sections... More >
the Dreaming Ant has movie that go beyond mainstream hollywood. providing not just a glimpse, but a full view of the world in it's foreign, documentary, glbt, independent and cult film sections (among others!).
you need help remembering a title, locating it or finding something similar, the employees are dedicated movie lovers and will help you to the best of their abilities... and if you want to know if a movie is good (or bad), they'll tell you!
as for price, $4 for 4 full days goes from good to great when you consider how supporting a local business benefits the whole community: keeping the cash flow in the local economy and preventing large corporate entities from settling and extracting the neighborhood's wealth... and netflix customers, we aren't here to judge, we're here to sling dvds! there's no reason why you can't come see us too!
... and yes, i am an employee, but if you think i'm foolin with you, come in and see me on mondays at the Dreaming Ant, we can talk business, movies, and more movies!
ashley ant
Pros: broad movie selection, dedicated staff, fair price/practice
Cons: storage system!
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Dreaming Ant is the only real, complete video store I've ever found in Pittsburgh. The owner is passionate about film, with knowledge to match, and encourages the same in all the workers.
Come... More >
Dreaming Ant is the only real, complete video store I've ever found in Pittsburgh. The owner is passionate about film, with knowledge to match, and encourages the same in all the workers.
Come to Dreaming Ant for the selection (a never-ending stream of great films you'll not find elsewhere, and wouldn't think to look for on netflix), the recommendations, and the community - I love being there and watching the other customers with eyes wide, being drawn from film to film. It feels like a DVD/video store should.
Pros: Selection, passion for cinema, web site, expertise
Cons: Small location
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i went here a few times to pick up dvds because i wanted to support a local business instead of blockbuster, but it really isn't worth it.
the pricing - $4 for 4 days - is really not worth it. ... More >
i went here a few times to pick up dvds because i wanted to support a local business instead of blockbuster, but it really isn't worth it.
the pricing - $4 for 4 days - is really not worth it. if you rent more than 4 movies a month, you may as well just get netflix.
the workers have the worst attitudes and poorest customer service i have ever seen. i am truly shocked they are still in business.
i wish i could rate them 1/4 of a star, as they don't deserve 1 full star of a rating.
bottom line:
GET NETFLIX INSTEAD
Pros: wide selection
Cons: horrible business practices, bad attitudes, bad prices
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Finally found it. ---Pittsburgh--finally has a place to get something different than the typical swill found in Blockbuster's. Down with the evil empire. Give rise to a new breed of video store... More >
Finally found it. ---Pittsburgh--finally has a place to get something different than the typical swill found in Blockbuster's. Down with the evil empire. Give rise to a new breed of video store where film is celebrated.
Pros: Great selection
Cons: sometimes open a little late
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Dreaming Ant is an outstanding DVD store, and the only one we'll frequent anymore! Selection is large enough to keep you busy for years, and outstanding - wonderful, thought-provoking movies you... More >
Dreaming Ant is an outstanding DVD store, and the only one we'll frequent anymore! Selection is large enough to keep you busy for years, and outstanding - wonderful, thought-provoking movies you won't find elsewhere. The owner actually cares about movies and is always able to make well-informed suggestions. He takes the time to know his customers, their interests, and silly crapola like that. The other chap knows a lot about movies too. Also the arrangement of the selection makes it easier to find something you are looking for. It's a great place to learn about different filmmakers and film genres. Plus I love the concept of a cafe/DVD store. Being able to sip coffee, and chat about movies before selecting one is wonderful. It's intimate, laidback, convenient and professionally run. Also Dreaming Ant's pricing is more fair than any other rental company. And they have an excellent website that allows customers to save a wishlist, review your rental history, view availability of movies...totally rad!
Pros: Selection, website, people
Cons: It is slightly smoky, but I've been told this will change in January. Sometimes it gets pretty busy, but it's worth the wait!
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You may have thought that you would not find all three of those things in the same place, but here it has become possible!
We wanted a video to wind down our Labor Day weekend, so the crew walked... More >
You may have thought that you would not find all three of those things in the same place, but here it has become possible!
We wanted a video to wind down our Labor Day weekend, so the crew walked on over to Dreaming Ant, past Blockbuster, for something to watch. We got to browse by genre, director, and a few other unique categories and get some recommendations from the guy in charge. We also got some mochas and brownies from the coffee shop attached. They even let Shaft's doggie Maggie step inside to hang out while we browsed.
It was nice to be able to browse in a relaxed environment without blinding lights and copious quantities of horrible new releases. I also didn't miss having advertisements and previes blasted at me loudly from TV's hanging from the ceiling. The owner is also a bit of a statistics buff, so he keeps lists of top rented videos for you to check out and consider. Their website will tell you what is in stock: http://www.dreamingant.com/
This place also has a frequent rental type card, and you get free rentals when you refer others and after a certain number of rentals. So tell 'em Shaft's friend sent ya!
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The Dreaming Ant has a large collection of foreign films on DVD. The films are arranged by country or origin which is really nice. Rental periods are a little short for my liking. Only two days.... More >
The Dreaming Ant has a large collection of foreign films on DVD. The films are arranged by country or origin which is really nice. Rental periods are a little short for my liking. Only two days. There is smoking allowed in the Crazy Mocha connected to the store, so nonsmokers might not find this a pleasant place to browse in.
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