Scene in the series
In Stranger Things (Season 3, Episode 8, “The Battle of Starcourt”, released in 2019), Family Video & Arcade appears during the climactic final chapter of the season. By this point, Hawkins is in full crisis mode, with multiple storylines converging as the Mind Flayer threat reaches its peak. The location is part of the familiar town backdrop that contrasts sharply with the chaos unfolding across Hawkins.
Although not the central battleground like Starcourt Mall, the video store and arcade environment reinforces the sense that no corner of normal teenage life is untouched by the unfolding disaster. Season 3 leans heavily into 1980s pop culture, and the presence of a video rental store and arcade perfectly encapsulates that era’s social landscape, heightening the nostalgia just as everything spirals out of control.
The real location
Family Video & Arcade was filmed at a real Family Video store located in Lithia Springs, Georgia, west of Atlanta. Family Video was a well-known American video rental chain, making it an ideal real-world stand-in for a late-1980s small-town entertainment hub. The adjacent arcade space was dressed to reflect the era’s coin-operated gaming culture, complete with bright lights and classic cabinet silhouettes.
The surrounding commercial strip and parking area helped sell the illusion of Hawkins as a growing suburban town in the late 1980s, shaped by malls, chain stores, and car-centered social life. Since filming, many Family Video locations have closed, further cementing the site as a time capsule of a now-vanished retail era.
Why this location was chosen
Season 3 of Stranger Things intentionally amplified its 1980s aesthetic, and a video rental store was an essential part of that visual language. Using a real Family Video location provided immediate authenticity, avoiding the need to construct a full set while capturing details that audiences subconsciously recognize, from storefront proportions to signage placement.
From a production standpoint, the Lithia Springs location offered convenient access, sufficient space for exterior shooting, and the flexibility required for a large-scale finale episode. The everyday familiarity of the setting made the surrounding supernatural chaos feel more intrusive and unsettling.
Visiting the location
The building used as Family Video & Arcade is not an official Stranger Things attraction, and the original video store no longer operates as it did during filming. Visitors can view the exterior from public areas, but interior access and appearance may differ significantly from what is seen on screen.
For fans exploring filming locations around Atlanta, this stop works best as a brief exterior visit, ideally combined with other nearby Stranger Things sites. As always, visitors should respect private property and any active businesses currently operating at the location.
