Sir Richard Branson Takes on Music Retail Industry With the Launch of His New Virgin Megastore Hollywood

Sir Richard Branson Takes on Music Retail Industry With the Launch of His New Virgin Megastore Hollywood

Dare Devil CEO Richard Branson Reinvents Entertainment Retailing in True Hollywood Fashion With INXS

The advent of the iPod and CD burning may spell trouble for some music retailers but Virgin Megastore is seeing this obstacle as an opportunity. Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Entertainment Group is reinventing one-stop entertainment shopping with a star-studded Hollywood opening of a new Megastore in Tinseltown which includes the debut live performance by INXS. Anticipating the changing landscape of music sales Branson had a simple goal for his Megastores: make Virgin the ultimate entertainment retail experience. If it's cool, fashionable or a must have you will find it here.

As usual, Branson is taking the lead to make sure he turns heads with this new evolution for Virgin. The founder of Virgin Entertainment Group in costume, officially opened the red-carpet premiere of the world's 250th Virgin Megastore, located in Hollywood. The new 20,000+ sq ft Megastore offers one stop shopping experience for entertainment products. The store will have an in depth selection of music and DVD's, an array of pop culture apparel, portable electronics, games, books and the Virgin vaulted digital preview kiosks that can scan nearly any CD, DVD, or game to try before you buy.

The grand opening also marks the concert debut of INXS' freshly minted front man, J.D. Fortune, who landed the coveted gig as a contestant on the hit reality show "Rock Star: INXS." Other entertainment stars at the grand opening include the adventurous agro-metal outfit Dredg, and post-punk agitators Gang of Four.

With the current state of the music buying industry going thru major changes the company is launching new concept stores that they feel will be the innovative answer to keeping music and entertainment retail alive and moving.

THIS SATELLITE FEED CONTAINS: SOT: Sir Richard Branson/Founder of Virgin Group Simon Wright/CEO/Virgin Group International

B-roll: Hollywood Virgin Megastore Sir Richard Branson's Hollywood Grand Entrance "Stunt" INXS' Live Concert Debut

FEED DATE: TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18 , 2005 FEED TIME: 6:00 - 06:15 AM EDT COORDINATES: C-BAND: AMC 3 (C) /TRANSPONDER 3/AUDIO 6.2 & 6.8 DL FREQ: 3740 (V)

FEED DATE: TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18 , 2005 FEED TIME: 10:00 - 10:30 AM EDT COORDINATES: C-BAND: IA (TELSTAR) 5 (C) /TRANSPONDER 19/AUDIO 6.2 & 6.8 DL FREQ: 4080 (V)

Produced for: Virgin Entertainment Group FOR STORY INFORMATION, CONTACT: Krysty O'Quinn, 818-231-2090 FOR TECHNICAL INFORMATION, CONTACT: Medialink, 212-682-8300 / 800-843-0677

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PRNewswire -- Oct. 17

Source: Virgin Entertainment Group

Web site: http://www.virginmega.com/

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