Happy Wednesday, Scouts. Welcome to Edition VIII of Scout & Tell.

Really excited about this week’s main article. I found Kate on Instagram and if we’re talking movies, then I’m all in. Throw in decades old movies, now I’m really listening.

Away from the screen and IRL we’ve got a break from CSU football after three home games. Needing something else to fill the time? The famous Taste of Fort Collins will rage on all weekend long.

That, along with cooler temps, you are guaranteed to have a great weekend outside in northern Colorado.

I’ll see you out there,

For us millennials, nostalgia seems to be all the rage. You can’t go anywhere without seeing a teenager with a Nirvana shirt or a 90’s nostalgia account hitting my Instagram feed.

A core memory of mine was Friday night, circa 1995. Friday night meant movie night. My dad would drive us to the movie store and we’d roam the rows of our local video store searching for the perfect VHS to rent. 

Now you can turn on your TV and access millions of hours of content. Whatever you can dream up, it's there. Those days of video stores are long gone.

Or are they? 

If she has it her way, one Fort Collins resident is just a couple months from bringing that memory back to reality. 

Origin Story

Kate Meadows says she couldn’t let go of those days and nights drifting up and down the rows and rows of videos. 

"My sister and I used to go to Blockbuster every Friday, and we would just kind of wander around for a long time, and it was just about being there together,” Meadows said. 

So she’s starting Video Rodeo, a video rental store in Midtown Fort Collins.

How does one go about starting a video store? The answer is pretty simple: You need time, patience and a love for thrifting. 

Meadows has spent the last year amassing more than 2,300 VHS and DVD videos from thrift stores, along with estate and garage sales across northern Colorado. 

The piles are huge. They’re taking up space at her home. Like a lot. 

The Price of Admission

You can’t just open your house to the general public. That’s not practical or legal. But after working out all the details in a business plan, she knew the next logical step was finding a commercial space.

While a lease hasn’t officially been signed, she does have an offer on a space in Midtown. But that won’t stop her from planning the decor. 

"Very quirky, very queer, female... unapologetic about being campy and pink."

Think rhinestone cowboy, think velvet, think pink, think … skeletons. 

What? 

Meadows has a skeleton she plans on dressing up in different costumes. His name is Henry. There are also plans to buy shelves from a closing store in town. 

"I recently bought a 6-inch pink fringe that I plan to put on an AV cart... I'm going to paint it pink and cover it in fringe." 

The Studio Model

Also part of Meadow’s business plan is how to make Video Rodeo a success. She admitted, she’s not looking to get rich off this, far from it, but it does need to cover the rent and utilities. 

The plan is simple:

Rent a DVD or VHS: $1 per night. Keep it longer than 14 days, it’s yours.

Membership: Plans start at $30 per month, which allows you two rentals out at a time. 

Ok, cool, Matt, but I got rid of my VHS player two decades ago and I have NO idea where my DVD player is. How will I watch Empire Records? 

Don’t fret mon frère, there will be VHS and DVD players available for rent too! 

The Financing

Without letting too much out of the bag, Meadows will be launching a Kickstarter campaign next month to help hire her first employee. I won’t spoil the ending on this one, so be on the lookout for the launch details. 

What can be teased: Laminated store cards, bandanas and a ton of nostalgia. 

End Credits

One scroll through the photo collage Meadows provided and you’re guaranteed to find a movie you haven’t watched in 20+ years, heck maybe longer.  

The term, ‘they don’t make ‘em like they used to’, can definitely be applied to the movie industry. Profits seem to be more important than story. Sure, there are some great flicks still being made, but it’s hard to beat the movies of the past. At least for this writer, I’m still rewatching movies from the 90’s like they were released earlier this year. 

Meadow’s plan is, ‘fingers crossed’, to launch before the year ends. 

When that day comes, remember these simple rules: Push in the VHS tape, hit the play button, and always be kind and rewind. 

To learn more about when the Kickstarter campaign launches or to get email updates, go to:

Web - VideoRodeo.co
Instagram - @videorodeo.co

Five bedrooms, a huge gated RV/boat pad and a basement that's already halfway finished with room to make it your own. 742 Lilac Dr. in Windsor has Vaulted ceilings, new carpet, fresh paint, and a new water heater mean the boring-but-important stuff is already handled. Three blocks from Chimney Park and Pool, for anyone who wants summer within walking distance.

TLDR: 5 bed / 2.5 bath, 2,784 sqft, built 1994, $460,000. Contact: Charles Perry, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Rocky Mountain Realtors-Fort Collins, (970) 226-5511

Meet Coconut! This 24.3-pound pup is a sweet, shy guy still building his confidence, so he's looking for a patient, dog-savvy home that can help him come out of his shell. He'll do best in a house without young kids while he settles in.
Coconut is available for adoption at the Weld Campus in Evans, with a $400 adoption fee. Find out more about this good pup at the NoCo Humane website.

It’s the sport eating tennis courts across the country and endless ridicule from the same community. Welcome to the Fort Collins Pickleball Club. 

A $20 a year membership gets you access to nets across courts in Fort Collins. There are beginner classes, league nights and open play nearly every single day of the week. Learn how to dink and before you know it, you’ll be calling a foot foul on Helen, your 78 year old neighbor, because you’ve become ultra-competitive, and her foot was in the kitchen. 

In all seriousness, it’s a chill group of people. I’ve been playing league night for a couple of years and it’s a blast. What’s all the rage about? Pick up a paddle and find out. Check out their website for more details. 

💘 Speed Dating @ Odell Brewing Co. - Thu 6pm - Ages 21 to 40, with two pints included in your ticket. Details here

🎵 Music Trivia @ Derby Grille - Thu 6-9pm - Weekly trivia night in Berthoud. Details here

🎬 Nicolas Cage Trivia @ Cactus Grille Loveland - Thu 7-9pm - Free to play, with themed specials and Cray O-Matic Entertainment as host. Details here

🎸 Luke Bower w/ Eve Coffman @ Aggie Theatre - Thu 8pm - Luke Bower brings the It's the Wind Tour to Old Town. Details here

✂️ Stamp & Scrapbook Expo @ Pedersen Toyota Center - Fri & Sat, 9am start - A two-day crafting expo, $12 to get in and free for kids 12 and under. Details here

🏃 Red Feather Trail Jamboree @ Ben Delatour Scout Ranch - Fri-Sun - Trail races in Red Feather Lakes at 50 mile, 50K, and half marathon distances. Details here

🎶 Umphrey's McGee @ Mishawaka Amphitheatre - Fri, Sat & Sun - The jam band plays three straight nights in Bellvue. Details here

🍺 Oktobrewfest @ Lincoln Park, Downtown Greeley - Fri 5-10pm & Sat 11am-9pm - German beer, live bands, and all-ages activities in the heart of downtown, plus a VIP beer tasting Saturday from 3-6pm. Details here

🎸 Music at the Mothership: The Crooked Rugs @ New Belgium Brewing - Fri 5-7pm - Free outdoor show at the brewery, no ticket needed. Details here

🏓 Free Pickleball: Full Court Exchange @ The Picklr Loveland - Fri 5-7pm - Free open play at 3137 N. Garfield Ave. Details here

🍽️ Harvesting Hope Farm-to-Table Dinner @ Mountain View Menagerie - Fri 5-9pm - A fundraising dinner in Johnstown with a live auction and a typewriter poet, benefiting cancer patients and their families ($99). Details here

🤠 The Scoot @ Colorado Youth Outdoors - Fri 5:30-10:30pm - Colorado Youth Outdoors hosts its Scoot event, presented by Bank of Colorado. Tickets were sold out as of Monday. Details here

🪕 Folklore Night @ Equinox Center of Herbal Studies - Fri 6pm - Crispy Watkins pairs ceremony, song, and story with a band, setting a folk tale to music. Details here

😂 Jim Norton: Stupid Smile @ The Comedy Fort - Fri & Sat, 6pm & 8:30pm - Stand-up from the veteran comic and podcast host. Details here

🧼 Soap Making Class @ Our Town Market - Fri 6:30-8:30pm - A hands-on hot process class in Loveland on how oils affect lather and skin feel. Details here

🌌 Dome after Dark: K-pop Dome Hunters @ Fort Collins Museum of Discovery - Fri 7-8:15pm - The digital dome turns into a full K-pop show with immersive light and visuals. Details here

🎶 Face Vocal Band @ The Rialto Theater - Fri 7:30pm - Loveland's hometown a cappella powerhouse plays a headline show. Details here

🎻 Our Top Tchaikovsky @ Mountain View High School - Fri 7:30pm - The Loveland Orchestra plays Marche Slav, the Romeo and Juliet Overture, and Symphony No. 4. Details here

🎤 The Linda Lindas w/ VIAL & RLY ORY @ Aggie Theatre - Fri 8pm - Riot-grrrl punk energy takes over Old Town. Details here

👟 Get Your Rear in Gear 5K Run/Walk @ Fossil Creek Park - Sat 9am - A colon cancer 5K raising money for the Colon Cancer Coalition, with a kids' fun run at 8:50am. Details here

🚜 Big Dig Colorado @ Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers, Longmont - Sat 9am-1pm - Kids and adults climb into real construction equipment like mini-excavators and backhoes, benefiting pediatric cancer research. Details here

🥕 The Berthoud Market @ Town Park - Sat 9am-1pm - Local produce, handmade goods, and live music, plus a free weekly kids' craft activity. Details here

🍎 Severance Farmer's Market @ Blue Spruce Park - Sat 9am-1pm - The weekly market is at Blue Spruce Park while Community Park is under construction. Details here (link needed)

🧘 Yoga in the Greenhouse w/ Lotus Tree Wellness @ Mountain Roots Garden Center - Sat 9-10am - A gentle all-levels class among the plants. Bring your own mat and register ahead, since space is limited. Details here

🧘 Yoga in City Park - Sat 9-10am - Beginner-friendly yoga on Field 3, $10 a class. Details here

🏺 Independent Open Studio Saturday @ Flingin Pots - Sat 9am-12pm - Work on your own clay projects in the basement studio, $30 with 10 lbs of clay included. Details here

🚗 Antics "Cruisin Over Cancer" Poker Run @ American Legion Windsor - Sat 9am-6pm - A breast cancer benefit poker run followed by an auction and raffle, with 100% of proceeds going to a local person fighting the disease. Details here

🎱 8 & 9 Ball Summer Tri-Annuals @ The Emporium Sports Bar - Sat 9:30am check-in - A Northeast Colorado APA pool tournament at 2700 W 10th St in Greeley, $20 per team. Details here

🍂 Timnath Fall Festival @ Summerfields Parkway area (shuttles from Timnath Community Park) - Sat 11am-3pm - Live music, an artisan market, food trucks, and local beer, all raising money for the Children's Speech & Reading Center. Details here

🎂 Auntie Stone's 225th Birthday Open House @ FCMoD's Heritage Courtyard - Sat 11am-1pm - Free family celebration for Fort Collins' original entrepreneur, with crafts and treats. Details here

🔭 Solar Viewing with the NoCo Astronomical Society @ Loveland Public Library - Sat 11am-1pm - Free telescope viewing on the library lawn, weather permitting. Details here

🎶 Taste of Fort Collins @ Washington Park - Sat & Sun, 12pm-9pm - Modest Mouse headlines Saturday night, Lil Jon closes it out Sunday, plus food and art vendors both days. Details here

🍞 Sourdough Class @ Loveland Aleworks - Sat 1-3:30pm - Lori of Little Owl Sourdough teaches long-fermented sourdough. The class was nearly full as of Monday. Details here

☕ Lima Coffee Class: Brew at Home @ Lima Coffee Roasters - Sat 2:30-4:30pm - Learn to make a better cup in your own kitchen at this hands-on class ($85). Details here

🥨 Fort Collins Oktoberfest 2026 @ The Bar District - Sat 4-10pm - PubCrawls.com runs Oktoberfest in the Bar District, with tickets from $7.13. Details here

💃 Father Daughter Dance @ Berthoud Recreation Center - Sat 6-8pm - DJ, photo booth, and a night out for dads (or father figures) and their girls. Details here

🤘 Holding Absence & Arm's Length w/ Bloom and House & Home @ Washington's - Sat 7pm (doors 6pm) - Two bands co-headline this all-ages show ($33.88). Details here

🎭 Everything I Know: Mandy Gonzalez Sings Lin-Manuel Miranda @ Lincoln Center - Sat 7:30pm - Broadway vocals meet the Fort Collins Symphony. Details here

🪩 Sploinky Rave: Fort Collins @ Aggie Theatre - Sat 9:30pm - An electronic dance night in Old Town. Details here

🚗 NoCo Cars & Coffee @ The Promenade Shops at Centerra - Sun 8-11am - Free monthly car meet, all makes and models welcome, with complimentary coffee. Details here

🏊 Last Call Triathlon @ Boyd Lake State Park - Sun, first waves 8:05am - The 8th annual race offers sprint, supersprint, duathlon, aquabike, and aquathlon options, with Loveland Aleworks beer on race day. Details here

🥕 Loveland Farmers Market @ Fairgrounds Park - Sun 9am-1pm - The final market of the season, with produce, handmade goods, and live music. Details here

🎨 Slip N' Carved Sgraffito Flower Pots @ Nuance Chocolate - Sun 10am-12pm - Flingin Pots leads a class on carving designs through colored slips into a greenware piece. Details here

🌕 Full Moon Yoga: Vinyasa & Beats in the Park @ City Park - Sun 10-11:15am - A full moon yoga class with a live DJ soundscape ($22). Details here

🍅 Timnath Farmers Market @ Colorado Feed & Grain - Sun 10am-2pm - Local produce, artisan goods, food, and family activities at 4138 Main St, held the second and fourth Sundays. Details here

🧶 Like Sunshine Craft Social @ Stodgy Brewing Co - Sun 1-2pm - A weekly hands-on craft session, $20 per project with supplies included. Details here

🎤 Bowling for Soup w/ Ballyhoo! and Rosecoloredworld @ Washington's - Sun 7pm (doors 6pm) - The pop-punk band plays an all-ages show, but tickets were sold out as of Monday. Details here

⛳ Ryan's Light Golf Classic @ Mariana Butte Golf Course - Sun - A charity golf tournament benefiting themarshalleffect. Details here