Party to Begin at Newbury`s Ultimate Music and Entertainment Destination
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE via COLLEGIATE PRESSWIRE)--Jan 23, 2002--Virgin Entertainment Group, North America, the world`s leading multi-channel music and entertainment retailer, announced today it will be opening its 22nd Virgin Megastore in North America, on February 9, 2002, along Boston`s trend-setting Newbury Street. The new entertainment destination will open shop in the Frank Gehry building located on the corner of Newbury Street and Massachusetts Avenue.
At over 40,000 square feet, the new Virgin Megastore will be the largest music/entertainment destination in the area and an anchor tenant along Newbury`s landmark location. The new store will open its doors to the public on February 9, but will host it`s Grand Opening celebration for local VIPs, music and entertainment celebrities and the Boston community on Friday, February 15. Top artists and international celebrities are slated to perform and will be announced to the public soon.
''We intend to become a major part of the Boston music and entertainment community,'' Glen Ward, CEO, Virgin Entertainment Group, North America, said. ''Our promise and commitment to the Boston community is to provide the best and largest selection of entertainment products, combined with the highest levels of service and expertise, in the most exciting and interesting shopping environment.''
When starting a new venture, Virgin puts themselves in their customer`s shoes and talks to the members of that community to see what could make it better.
''We`ve spent a great deal of time researching Boston,'' Dave Alder, senior vice president of product and marketing, Virgin Entertainment Group, North America, said. ''We tailor each Megastore offering to meet the needs of its community and we`re confident we will offer music aficionados in the Boston community what they think is most personally relevant. We strive to have the titles our customers are looking for, in stock and on the shelves at all times.''
As part of that commitment, Virgin Megastore Boston goes beyond the average music retailer to offer shoppers the latest in technology to make browsing and buying easy and informative. One example is the Megaplay kiosks - the most advanced entertainment preview system in the market today, which will allow Boston customers to `try it before they buy it` by instantly accessing a database of over 2.4 million CD tracks and 10,000 DVD movie trailers, through an easy to use touch-screen interface. Additionally, Virgin Megastore Boston will pioneer listening and viewing preview stations with plasma screens and offer over 800 full album listening opportunities on music listening stations.
Virgin Megastore Boston also hosts eight multi-media demonstration stations where video game enthusiasts can sample the latest software from CD-ROM game titles.
Boston music fans can also slip on headsets at one of the many music-listening stations to hear the latest CDs from around the world as well as local Boston favorites. Virgin Megastore Boston also houses the most in-depth classical department in the Virgin Megastore chain.
As the exclusive distributor of products for the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Virgin Megastore Boston will be working closely with several other community organizations and will also host in-store events that feature local artists in several genres, including Classical, Jazz, Blues, Dance and Folk.
Virgin Megastore Boston will also be the first Megastore to feature a dedicated Dance and Electronica Room in the chain. A room with its own independent sound system, the Dance and Electronica Room will have a performance area for guest and local DJs. It will feature a large selection of 12-inch vinyl records.
Boston`s Megastore guarantees a massive selection of music and entertainment products, including:
*More than 250,000 music titles on CD across a broad range of genres;
*20,000 movie and music titles on DVD and VHS
*More than 500 entertainment software titles for X-Box, Nintendo Game Cube and Sony PlayStation 2 and PC CD-ROM;
*Specialty book areas, devoted to everything from pop culture, to travel and entertainment periodicals
Other highlights of the Boston Virgin Megastore will include:
*Virgin Cafe - order lunch or dinner off of Virgin CD-Style menus in this contemporary diner, or sip on cafe lattes while checking out the latest at Virginmega.com on the cafe`s Internet kiosks
*More than 20 video state-of-the-art Philips flat panel plasma monitors broadcasting the latest music videos
*A regular series of in-store concerts and artist signings
*Monthly sale campaigns featuring a large selection of ''must have'' titles all on sale plus a ''Freequencies'' customer rewards program, giving music fans a free CD after the purchase of 10
The Virgin Megastore, Boston marks the first store opening announcement this year for the chain; Virgin Megastore Dallas opened in September of 2001, and the company has also announced plans to open a new Megastore in Toronto in 2003. The Group`s plans call for approximately 35 Virgin Megastores operating across North America by the year 2007.
About Virgin Entertainment Group
Virgin Entertainment Group is the world`s leading multi-channel music and entertainment retailer, providing customers with a range of superior entertainment experiences through a family of integrated Virgin-branded businesses. The ''category killer'' Virgin Megastores and Virgin Megastore Online at www.virginmega.com are integral parts of a strategy to provide entertainment customers with what they want, how they want it, and when they want it.
For more information, or to check out the location of the nearest Virgin retail go to www.virginmega.com.
To set up an interview with Virgin Entertainment Group CEO, Glen Ward, Contact: SJ Communications, Krysty Walker, 818/881-3889, [email protected].
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