Blockbuster could’ve bought Netflix, but turned it down ➡️ This photo shows the eighth Blockbuster Video location in Columbus, which opened in 1990 near Graceland Shopping Center in Clintonville. By 1991, there were 10 locations in the city. Netflix arrived in 1997, launching their online platform the following year. The DVD format was barely a year old, but their direct-to-door service was convenient, and their catalog included nearly every disc in circulation at the time. It quickly began to impact sales. In 2000, Blockbuster was given the chance to purchase Netflix for $50 million. Blockbuster CEO John Antioco declined, claiming their audience was too small and niche. By 2004, Netflix was reporting profits of $49 million per year. Blockbuster was not suffering just yet, reaching a peak of 9,094 stores in the same year. They launched an online DVD subscription program of their own, but Netflix challenged them in a patent infringement lawsuit. They settled the dispute on undisclo...