Success! Virgin Megastores grow

Here's a story that might take you by surprise: Virgin Megastores are doing quite nicely, thank you. Of course, they're now only found in the US, and much of the growth - sales 11.5% up year-on-year for 2007 - is going to be down not so much to the rude health of Virgin as the closure of Tower in December 2006. You might even wonder if, with the loss of their main competitor, the sales rise is a little disappointing.

And the sales rises are being driven by fashion, DVDs and computer games - the latter nearly doubling in value over the year.

Nevertheless: a music shop that is feeling confident in the current market. Even if the music is now tucked away in the corner. Good news.