Totally reasonable to ride on the sidewalk for short distances between intersections, especially for this specific route with no driveways or other intersections along the way.

Not wise (as you obviously noted) to choose the road for wrong way riding.

Another more recreational choice for the return trip would be to not follow they way you came, but take a right from the video store and go around the block into a different collector road for the neighborhood, with only right turns needed.

Al