22 Facts About Virgin Megastores

Virgin Megastores is an international entertainment retailing chain, founded in early 1976 by Richard Branson as a record shop on London's Oxford Street.

Virgin Megastores expanded to hundreds of stores worldwide in the 1990s, but has lost a large number of stores in recent years, largely with the sale and eventual closing of the British, American, Irish, Canadian, Australian, Italian, Spanish, French, Greek, Japanese and Chinese stores.

The name Virgin Megastores, according to Branson, arose from a colleague of his when they were brainstorming business ideas.

Virgin Megastores's suggested Virgin, as they were all new to business, like "virgins".

The Virgin Megastores Group kept the United Kingdom, Ireland, United States and Japan outlets while the Lagardere Group obtained the shops in France and travel retail locations globally including Australia, China, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Greece, Italy, Egypt, Lebanon and Jordan.

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Virgin Megastores shops have a wide selection of CDs, games, books, DVDs, vinyl records, magazines, portable media players, accessories and additional products such as calendars, board games and Virgin Megastores branded items.

In 2005, Virgin Megastores Digital was launched to cater for those that bought their music digitally or wanted to rip and burn their current music collection.

Virgin Megastores had taken steps to terminate the lease on its flagship Champs-Elysees store in Paris after 25 years on the famous street.

Virgin Megastores Megastore withdrew from the German market in 1994, amid complaints that the country's shop-closing law was too restrictive.

Virgin Megastores name is used by the Lagardere Group to brand a small number of convenience stores within airports and railway stations.

Virgin Megastores opened its first store in the Republic of Ireland in Dublin in 1986.

Virgin Megastores had planned to launch an online store specifically for the Republic of Ireland at virginmegastores.

The Virgin Megastores Group sought to sell its Irish operations during 2007, and on 17 September 2007, it was announced Irish and UK stores would separate from the Virgin Megastores Group.

Virgin Megastores entered the Dutch market in the 1990s and operated four stores.

In July 1998 Virgin Megastores closed its southern European flagship store in Barcelona on the corner of Passeig de Gracia and Gran Via de les Corts Catalans.

Virgin Megastores entered the Turkish market in March 2011 with a store located in the Demiroren shopping centre on Istiklal Street near Taksim, Istanbul.

Virgin Megastores currently has six stores in Qatar, with one being located in the Villaggio Mall, Doha which is the shopping centre's main anchor.

All employees of the U S Virgin Megastores could be identified by their trademark red or black t-shirts which had the Virgin logo on the front and the word STAFF on the back, as well as required lanyards with their first name printed on them.

American Virgin Megastores implemented a near real-time data warehouse in 2004.

The Virgin Megastores Megastore ceased its operations in Vancouver on 4 September 2005 when on 28 June 2005, HMV Canada announced it was planning to expand the store and rebrand the location into the HMV brand.

Virgin Megastores Japan are to be rebranded as Tsutaya by early 2009.

Virgin Megastores Books and Music is a Virgin Megastores-branded entertainment retail chain exclusive to airports and travel locations, operated by the Lagardere Services division of the French conglomerate Lagardere Group.