Zavvi Entertainment Group, Manchester

Zavvi the new name for Virgin Mega Stores, actually it’s a different company all together but that’s not the point.

Basically you will find most CD’s under the sun as well as a healthy collection of games, DVD’s, books and other related paraphernalia.

You can also rummage to the side of the store to find a VirginMobile section (they normally have a couple of pay as you go mobiles on offer) You can also sign up too VirginMedia as well there I think.

You can also buy tickets for concerts as well as order whatever CD they don’t have in stock as long as its still being produced or held at another branch.

Zavvi is pretty much still the same as when it was Virgin. It still sells cds and DVDs, and it also has a Virgin Mobile stand. The store is large and the range is extensive, and if you don’t know what you want then there are listening posts where you can listen to the CDs before purchase.

I found the staff in here very helpful as I wandered in not knowing the correct name of the band, the album title or any of their songs. Luckily I knew the genre and almost the name, and one of their staff pointed me in the right direction very quickly, I was impressed. I was also impressed by the price, £8.99 for a newly released album seems very reasonable.

Zavvi is just like HMV but with a different name. The only difference is that you can buy concert tickets inside, which I think is very handy. They have good offers on DVDs and have a wide selection of music cds but again, you would probably save much more money going to Fopp. They also have a 'live venue’ in the basement, I went to see the Bees there. This is a very good venue, you get so close to the band but you have to keep an eye out to see who’s on. Recommended.

With the demise of Virgin Megastore (which left, albeit briefly, Manchester without a single Richard Branson ‘record shop’ in the city) Zavvi softly welcomed itself onto the scene. Manchester of course is full of record stores - the Northern Quarter hosting plenty of great independent ones - but only HMV carried the flag for the ‘supermarket music palaces’ on the high street. Virgin never got that close to the expertise and stock of HMV despite being a ‘funkier’ place to shop. It’s range of music and film were several leaps behind His Masters Voice.
Still, it was always on the list of places to have a look in whilst you were in town shopping.
Virgin soon moved to it’s current location within the Arndale before then adopting the name change to Zavvi (for that’s about all it amounts to). Maybe Branson had his pickle with these megastores and offloaded them to others to take care of?

I actually think this is a cracking shop. Gone are the old ‘industrial chic’ of the old stores and in it’s place a more refined (and indeed HMV esque) shop layout. It’s pretty huge as well. There film section appears to be broader than it used to be (where anything remotely ‘rare’ you could guarantee would be out of stock) and the gaming section superb.
On the contrary to other reports I’ve found the staff to be more than helpful. My mum purchased a ‘DS’ recently (yup…and she’s more obsessed with it than any teenager I’ve come across) and more than one member of staff showed around the machines before she made the purchase (and this was during a very busy time).
Prices are very reasonable.

Bonus points for a fantastic ‘blu-ray’ section (commiserations HD DVD) complete with 50” crystal sharp screens.

Zavvi (previously Virgin Megastore) is located in the Arndale centre on the ground floor. If offers a wide selection of DVDs, CDs and games at reasonable prices. The store is modern and well designed, with ample space devoted to showcasing the latest technology (games consoles, Blu-ray films and so on).

The staff aren’t the most helpful or enthusiastic, but are happy enough to point you in the right direction if you’re looking for something specific.

Prices in the store vary quite significantly from those advertised on the Zavvi website which is a little frustrating, and gift cards purchased in the store can’t be redeemed online (and vice versa). Most items are priced at a very similar level to those in HMV, though there are some differences so it pays to shop around.

Great Place to come for all your entertainment needs. Not much needs to be said apart from the fact that this store id brilliant! Great selections, great prices, great store!! Their sales are amazing and prices are very competitive, most things are on average a pound cheaper than other places!! They sell music, dvd, books, gmaes consoles and games and have recentley added a range of accessories from various bands!! Higly recommended for anyone who loves music and film!!