American video store opening first location in Toronto

Cinephiles across the city will be delighted to hear that American film restoration and distribution company, Vinegar Syndrome, is set to open its first Toronto location very soon. 

Originally founded in Bridgeport, Connecticut in 2012, the company is now regarded as one of the premier independent genre film-focused distribution companies in the world, with its work resulting in the digital restoration and preservation of over 500 feature films. 

The company's archive includes hundreds of films produced between the 1960s and 1990s, and spans across all types of genres, including action, animation, horror, comedy, and documentary. 

Its name refers to the chemical degradation that occurs with cellulose acetate film, which results in a pungent vinegar smell and its eventual shrinkage and embrittlement. The degradation process releases acetic acid, which is the same substance in vinegar that gives it its smell. 

"Film preservation is a race against time, especially with long-neglected genres and underground films," the company's website reads. "Our goal in every restoration we do is to try and bring each film back to its originally intended theatrical exhibition quality, and to make the vast treasures in our archives available to fans and film lovers of all generations." 

Vinegar Syndrome announced on its Facebook page that its Toronto location will be opening soon right across the street from Revue Cinema on Roncesvalles, resulting in dozens of excited reactions and comments. 

"So amazing to see a post for a physical media shop opening instead of yet another 'We're sorry to announce,'" one person wrote. 

In a comment under the announcement, the company revealed that the shop would also carry a small selection of records to start with, and hoping to carry a much larger catalogue in the future. 

While the store's exact opening date has not been confirmed as of yet, its signage is already propped up at 399 Roncesvalles Ave.