Virgin Megastore
Virgin Megastore is an entertainment and lifestyle retail brand originating in Virgin’s music retail business. Its history connects to Richard BransonRichard BransonRichard Branson is a British entrepreneur and founder of Virgin Group. Beginning with a youth magazine and mail-order records, he expanded into aviation, leisure, telecommunications, finance and commercial spaceflight. He also founded Virgin Unite and is known for ballooning expeditions and his 2021 suborbital flight.Open the full entry, Nik PowellNik PowellNik Powell was a British music and film entrepreneur and producer. A co-founder of Virgin Records, he later developed Palace Pictures with Stephen Woolley and led the National Film and Television School from 2003 to 2017. He died in 2019.Open the full entry and the early record shops; contemporary regional businesses sell music, books, electronics, games and lifestyle products.
Contents5 sections
Key facts
From 1971: Record-retail foundations
Richard Branson and Nik Powell’s mail-order record business expanded into physical retail with an Oxford Street shop in 1971. The early record shop preceded the larger Megastore format.[1]
1979The Megastore format
Virgin’s official timeline dates the first Virgin Megastore to 1979. The retail brand and the Virgin RecordsVirgin RecordsVirgin Records is a record label originating in the UK from Richard Branson and Nik Powell’s early Virgin music business. Launched as a label in 1973, it became associated with artists including Mike Oldfield and the Sex Pistols and later entered EMI and Universal Music ownership.Open the full entry recording label share a history but perform different business functions.[2]
Modern business: Entertainment, electronics and lifestyle retail
Virgin’s directory describes the modern business as lifestyle retail spanning music, books, electronics, games, gifts and design products. Regional operators run local stores.[3]
Related Organizations, Websites, and Public Accounts
Virgin Megastore: Official link: https://www.virgin.com/virgin-companies/virgin-megastore (opens in a new window).[3]
Richard Branson: Official link: https://www.virgin.com/branson-family/richard-branson (opens in a new window).[1][4]
Nik Powell: Official link: https://nfts.co.uk/article/nfts-announces-sad-passing-former-director-nik-powell (opens in a new window).[1][5]
Virgin GroupVirgin GroupVirgin Group is an investment and brand group originating in the record business established by Richard Branson and Nik Powell in 1970. Its network spans aviation, travel, hospitality, health, telecommunications, finance and spaceflight. Virgin-branded businesses have distinct ownership and operating arrangements.Open the full entry: Official link: https://www.virgin.com/ (opens in a new window).[3][1]
Virgin Records: Official link: https://www.virginrecords.com/ (opens in a new window).[2][6]
Virgin MobileVirgin MobileVirgin Mobile is a mobile-services brand used in multiple markets. Its UK operation launched as a mobile virtual network operator in 1999. Local businesses have different operators, network partners and histories; the original UK customer base moved to O2 plans in 2023.Open the full entry: Official link: https://www.virgin.com/virgin-companies (opens in a new window).[3][7]
Sources
- Virgin Group (opens in a new window)
- The Virgin history | From 1970 to today (opens in a new window)
- Virgin Megastore (opens in a new window)
- Richard Branson (opens in a new window)
- NFTS Announces The Sad Passing of Former Director Nik Powell (opens in a new window)
- Virgin Records (opens in a new window)
- Virgin Mobile UAE (opens in a new window)