RAO Video

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RAO Video was a family‑run video rental store in Little Rock, Arkansas. It was one of the oldest continually operating video rental shops in the world and stayed open for nearly 45 years before closing in late 2021.

The store opened in 1977, founded by Bob Oliver. He was inspired by an article in The Wall Street Journal and spent years educating the public about video tapes, even running a booth at the Arkansas State Fair.

RAO started in a tiny 10-by-10 kiosk in Metrocentre Mall, then moved to the Donaghey Building, followed by 615 Main Street, and finally settled at 609 Main Street in 2001.

At its peak, RAO offered about 30,000 titles on DVD and Blu-ray, including obscure titles, cult classics, and some adult content. It later expanded to include a vape shop and Oak Forest Vintage clothing.

In early 2020, the owner put the downtown building up for sale for about $1.3 million and announced the store would close once a buyer was found. The shop continued selling off inventory, and the building was sold in September 2021 for about $850,000.

In 2024, the building RAO called home for two decades was added to the National Register of Historic Places.