Summer. The glittering waves on the Sound, the lush parks and idyllic beaches, those unforgettable sunsets. Ready to once again bask in the Northwest's unrivaled majesty?

Me neither.

Let others map out their annual road trips; I plan on three months parked indoors, watching movies.

At least Puyallup's Couch Potato Video can replenish my entertainment reserves as I fritter away yet another sunny season. Sandwiched between a Mexican restaurant and the historic Liberty Theater on West Main, this petite shop packs around 5,000 titles on DVD and Blu-ray. Prices start at a mere five bucks, making this one place difficult to leave empty-handed.

Fellow spud and storeowner Geoff Chastain fell in love with films early on. As I lounged on the store's only couch behind the counter, the 34-year-old Seattle native recalled childhood memories of family trips to the Liberty, soaking up now-iconic flicks like Ferris Bueller and Top Gun in his teenage years. "It's ironic I ended up here, where it started," he says.

Geoff opened his doors in March, steadily increasing his inventory with collections from all over the country. He informs his friends when new shipments arrive via Facebook. Though hard to predict the tastes of his clientele, he selects products carefully, thus striking a good balance between contemporary and classic, movies and television, a sampling from all genres. There's even a few oddities thrown in the mix, at which I could only stare and ponder ... Who knew there existed a Criterion copy of Armageddon? And who would buy it? And can I slap that person?

Customers will appreciate how well he knows his merchandise. The first time I found myself in his store looking for a title, he relied only on memory to determine whether he had it in stock. For a man who personally checks the quality of every disc that passes through the door, Geoff understands movies.

He also understands people. Ultimately he aims to build close relationships with other film fans in the community. Can't find a title? He does some digging and reports his findings to you. He also provides new patrons with a card stamped for each item purchased; ten stamps gets you a free $4.98 DVD. A good strategy for repeat business yes, but it's also this couch potato's way of letting others share in a lifelong passion for film.

Finally - an excuse to leave the house this summer.

Couch Potato Video

Noon to 8 p.m. Monday-Saturday
108 W Main, Puyallup
253.495.3274