Virgin Megastores bought out!!!

mcles · 17-09-2007, 10:15

I KNOW it's not really Virgin Media, but could affect in future? . . . .

Zavvi Entertainment Group has completed a management buy-out of the Virgin Megastores from Virgin Group. All stores will remain open, creating the UK and IrelandÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s largest independent entertainment retailer. By November, theyÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ll be re-branded Zavvi, with the website and Irish stores following in January 2008.

The official comment on this is:

Ã¢â‚¬Å“The intention is for our concessions stores to remain, which is great news. The storesÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ focus will be all about entertainment, which fits perfectly with Virgin Media.Ã¢â‚¬Â

Hmmmmmm..........

**Chris** · 17-09-2007, 10:16

Link?

Stuart · 17-09-2007, 10:19

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/200709...03c9bed_1.html

**Chris** · 17-09-2007, 10:30

No, this won't have any bearing on the use of the Virgin brand on cable TV.

mcles · 17-09-2007, 10:49

Well seeing as Virgin Media may well be bought out, it might acually have an impact in future.

In my modest opinion.

**Chris** · 17-09-2007, 10:53

If Virgin Media is bought out, then that could have an impact on the future use of the Virgin name as a brand for cable services in the UK.

The sale of Virgin megastores, on the other hand, will not have any effect on the use of the Virgin name as a brand for cable services in the UK.

Richard Branson has been creating and then selling Virgin businesses for decades now. He has not always been able to stop companies using the Virgin name after he has sold them, but there has never been a case where the sale of one part of the Virgin Group has directly led to another part of the Group, or another franchisee using the Virgin name, being forced to stop using the brand.

Virgin Megastores and Virgin Media are entirely separate entities. The only thing tying them together is a very strong brand identity.

evilmonkey · 17-09-2007, 11:29

it does make you wonder if he is gathering capital to purchase something else..something costing 5.5Billion perhaps??

MovedGoalPosts · 17-09-2007, 11:31

Moved from Virgin Media discussion as Virgin Stores have nothing to do with Cable

**Chris** · 17-09-2007, 11:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob

Moved from Virgin Media discussion as Virgin Stores have nothing to do with Cable

That, in case you hadn't noticed, is precisely the point the OP is arguing.

MovedGoalPosts · 17-09-2007, 11:37

They're clutching at straws with a buyout. Look at the number of high street music stores that have gone to the wall recently. Internet has killed them off. If anything they won't complement Virgin Media, online video streaming over the next few years will be the final deathnell for the high street music and DVD suppliers.

Pierre · 17-09-2007, 11:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob

They're clutching at straws with a buyout. Look at the number of high street music stores that have gone to the wall recently. Internet has killed them off. If anything they won't complement Virgin Media, online video streaming over the next few years will be the final deathnell for the high street music and DVD suppliers.

Who's clutching at straws????

The Virgin Megastore manangement have bought the company from Branson - so they obviously think it has a future.

This has nothing to do with Virgin Media at all.

If Easyjet bought Virgin Atlantic would that affect Virgin Media?????

MovedGoalPosts · 17-09-2007, 12:09

It's the "official comment" in post #1 that suggests the link between Virgin Megastores and Virgin Media (cable). Personally I'd suggest there is no link.

**Chris** · 17-09-2007, 12:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob

It's the "official comment" in post #1 that suggests the link between Virgin Megastores and Virgin Media (cable). Personally I'd suggest there is no link.

The official comment in post #1 has been taken wholly out of context.

Currently, you can sign up for Virgin Mobile or Virgin Media by visiting a Virgin Megastore. What the management are saying is, once the buyout is complete and the name of the stores has changed, it will still be possible to do this, as they will operate 'concessions' within the stores, in much the same way as you would find a Royal Doulton concession within a branch of Debenhams.

The focus of 'Zavvi' stores will be on entertainment, which means that it is still appropriate for there to be a Virgin concession in-store.

That's all he's saying.

Robster · 17-09-2007, 12:25

As Virgin is such an established brand and I think the music shops are the longest running Virgin business, it seems foolish of the new buyers to drop the Virgin brand rather than trying to license the brand as part of the deal, maybe Virgin wouldn't let them?

**Chris** · 17-09-2007, 13:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robster

As Virgin is such an established brand and I think the music shops are the longest running Virgin business, it seems foolish of the new buyers to drop the Virgin brand rather than trying to license the brand as part of the deal, maybe Virgin wouldn't let them?

I wonder.

I also wonder what 'Zavvi' is supposed to mean. Which over-paid London agency did they pay a cool half-mill to to dream that crock of turd up?