The Video Store Era

The Mall Was The Internet

Hanging Out With No Plans... or money. Before social media, before online shopping, before everybody lived on their phones… there was the mall. In this episode of Breaking Curfew, we dive into the era when the mall was more than just a place to shop. It was the social network, the entertainment center, the food court meetup spot, the dating app, the fashion feed, and the place where everybody eventually ended up on a Friday or Saturday night. We talk about what it was like wandering the mall for hours with no real plan. Hitting the theatre, checking out music stores, trying on clothes you weren’t buying, grabbing food with whatever money you had left, and somehow running into everybody you knew in a single night. From music stores and Spencer’s trips to awkward encounters, mall drama, and the unspoken rules of where different groups hung out, this episode is all about a time when hanging out in person was the entire experience. The mall wasn’t just a building. It was where trends spread, friendships happened, relationships started, and memories got made in real time. We also get into how different things feel now that so much of that world exists online instead. What we gained, what we lost, and why the mall era still feels impossible to recreate. There’s a lot of laughs in this one, but also a real appreciation for a time when boredom led to adventure and simply “going to the mall” could turn into an entire night. If you remember Piercing Pagoda, Sears, Squeeze-Play, CD stores, or spending hours there without buying anything… this one’s for you. Join The Conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/17QnTeXv1r/ Merch available now! Visit and shop here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/FilthandFeralCo

The First Thing You Weren't Supposed To Watch

Probably Shouldn't Have Seen That... Before streaming, before parental controls, before the internet put everything in your pocket… there was the first thing you accidentally, secretly, or intentionally got access to that you definitely weren’t supposed to. In this episode of Breaking Curfew, we dive into the movies, music, TV shows, magazines, and late-night moments that felt forbidden growing up. The stuff older kids introduced you to. The CDs hidden in somebody’s room. The movie scenes everyone talked about at school. The magazines you found where you definitely weren’t supposed to be looking. The late-night channels, scrambled stations, and random things that somehow changed you forever after one viewing. We talk about how access used to feel different when everything wasn’t instantly available. You had to sneak around, borrow things, wait until your parents left, lower the volume, switch channels fast, or trust that one friend who always somehow had access to everything. From horror movies that genuinely scared us to music our parents hated, from comedy we were too young to understand to the weird curiosity that came with forbidden media, this episode is all about those first experiences that made you feel older before you actually were. And honestly, half the excitement came from knowing you probably weren’t supposed to be experiencing it in the first place. There’s a lot of laughs in this one, but also a real look at how different growing up felt when access was limited, mystery still existed, and discovering something “off-limits” felt like a major moment. If you remember sneaking media past your parents, watching things with the volume barely on, or pretending you understood something way before you actually did… this one’s for you. Join The Conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/17QnTeXv1r/ Merch available now! Visit and shop here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/FilthandFeralCo

Unsupervised Summer

Before group chats, before constant check-ins, before anyone knew where you were at all times… there was summer. And once you left the house, you were gone. In this episode of Breaking Curfew, we rewind to the days of being out from morning until the streetlights came on. No phones. No tracking. Just bikes, friends, and figuring it out as you went. We talk about what it was really like growing up with that kind of freedom. Leaving the house with no plan and somehow ending up everywhere. Riding across town, knocking on doors, finding whoever was outside, and making the day up as it happened. From random adventures to near-misses, from the “cool spots” everyone knew about to the trouble you definitely weren’t supposed to get into… this was a different kind of childhood. We get into the risks, the independence, and the trust that came with it. How we learned things the hard way, handled situations on our own, and built memories that wouldn’t exist if everything was monitored. It wasn’t structured. It wasn’t scheduled. It was freedom. If you remember hearing “be back before dark,” drinking from the hose, or losing track of time until you knew you were in trouble… this one’s for you. Join The Conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/17QnTeXv1r/ Merch available now! Visit and shop here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/FilthandFeralCo

Landlines & Parent Gatekeepers

Before cell phones, before texting, before “I’ll just share my location”… there was the landline. And if you wanted to talk to your friends, you had to go through the real gatekeepers. Their parents. In this episode of Breaking Curfew, we dive into what it was like growing up when communication wasn’t private, convenient, or guaranteed. Calling the house and hoping your friend answered. Getting interrogated by their mom or dad before they even handed over the phone. Memorizing numbers like your life depended on it. And that one moment of panic when someone said, “Hold on, let me get them.” We talk about the unspoken rules, the awkward conversations, the pressure of calling at the wrong time, and the creative ways we tried to avoid or work around it all. From strict households to the “cool” houses where everyone hung out, this was a whole system that doesn’t exist anymore. It wasn’t just about making a call. It was about navigating people. There’s a lot of laughs in this one, but also a real look at how different things were when access wasn’t instant and privacy wasn’t guaranteed. If you remember asking, “Is so-and-so there?” or hanging up and calling back hoping someone else answered… this one’s for you. Join The Conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/17QnTeXv1r/ Merch available now! Visit and shop here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/FilthandFeralCo

The Video Store Era

Before streaming. Before algorithms. Before everything was instant… there was the video store. In this episode of Breaking Curfew, we rewind to a time when Friday nights meant a trip under fluorescent lights, walls lined with plastic cases, and the pressure of picking the right movie before someone else grabbed it first. This is the era of Blockbuster, late fees, rewinding tapes, and judging a movie purely by its cover. We talk about what it felt like walking through those aisles, the unwritten rules of the “New Releases” section, and the quiet disappointment of finding an empty shelf where your movie should’ve been. The hunt mattered. The choice mattered. And somehow, that made the experience hit different. From staff recommendation cards to renting games for the weekend, from begging your parents for “just one more” to discovering movies you probably shouldn’t have been watching yet… this episode is all about the ritual, the randomness, and the magic of it all. It wasn’t just about watching something. It was about the build-up. The anticipation. The shared experience. And once that tape was in… you were locked in. Press play, rewind your memory, and don’t forget… be kind, rewind. Join The Conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/17QnTeXv1r/ Merch available now! Visit and shop here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/FilthandFeralCo