After nearly a decade owning Clinton Video, Clay and Candy Anderson decided to call it quits.

“We just felt like it was time,” Clay Anderson said. “We are both pretty busy.”

The Andersons have been working full-time in addition to owning the business. Candy Anderson manages Whidbey Island Bank in Clinton, and Clay Anderson manages Clinton Foodmart. They also have two teenagers.

The former business owners wanted to have a little more free time.

A few weeks ago, they sold Clinton Video to one of Clay Anderson’s coworkers, FoodMart owner Mike O’Sullivan, and his wife, Gretchen O’Sullivan.

The Anderson’s have seen a lot of changes in the video industry since they first bought Clinton Video in 1996.

“The main thing is that there wasn’t the competition that there is now,” Clay Anderson said.

When Clinton Video first opened, there was no NetFlix or Pay-Per-View.

“There are so many options now,” he said.

Another change in the industry was the rise of DVDs over video tapes. Anderson predicts that the entertainment industry will stop making VHS tapes all together within the next couple of years.

Despite changes in the business, Clinton Video remained successful.

“We had what the customer was looking for,” Candy Anderson said. “You want to take care of the customers and keep up with the latest movies.”

Another ingredient for the business owners’ success was keeping in touch with the community. The couple often gave out gift certificates for fundraising events put on by schools, churches and other community organizations.

“I think community involvement is important,” Candy Anderson said.

“We’ve done lots of stuff over the years,” Clay Anderson said. “We’d support some of the sports programs, too.”

The football team sold Falcon cards as a fundraiser, and Clinton Video gave a special promotion to anyone with one of the cards.

Sometimes the business owners would allow free viewings if it supported a good cause.

“A couple school teachers called over the years and we would lend them videos to show in their class,” Clay Anderson said.

The Anderson’s say that overall, they had a good time owning the business.

“We really enjoyed the people,” Clay Anderson said. “We’ve had some really good employees over the years.”

They said they also miss their customers.

“But we’re still in Clinton,” Candy Anderson added. “We’re not too far away.”

Jill Boyd worked for the Andersons and is continuing to work at Clinton Video with the O’Sullivans.

“I love Clay and Candy. They were the best bosses anyone could have,” she said. “I’m sad to see them go.”

But Boyd also enjoys working with Gretchen and Mike O’Sullivan.

“I think they’re great,” she said. “And they’re making a lot of neat changes. It’s going to be exciting to see them come into place.”

The O’Sullivans are expanding the items sold in the store, and have started selling music CDs.

The couple is also buying a new computer system to replace the older, outdated one. And they’re getting rid of a lot of the older movies and video games, and selling them for $2.99 each, or five for $10.

Gretchen O’Sullivan has wanted to own a business for a long time. She sees it as a learning experience.

“It’s a brand new field for me,” she said. “I’m loving it right now.”