Life on the Spot! Life and Leisure in Doha, Qatar

The latest attraction at the Villagio these days is the Virgin Megastore. Yes it is just one among the chain of stores in the UK and all over the world, founded by the billionaire Richard Branson. Here in the Qatar as well as in France, United Arab Emirates, Greece, Egypt and Lebanon, the Virgin Megastores are owned by The Lagardere group.

The Virgin Megastore occupies a massive area at the Villagio. When you take the middle entrance, that is where the Carrefour is located, you'll be able to see the store from afar. Its red signage is defintely enticing, and has a "drawing effect" on anyone who ever sees it. Even if you haven't heard of the Virgin Megastores, you'll still get drawn and check it out. So did we! The place is very spacious, yet not bare. The first thing that's greet you are the books that they have on display. I believe I spent 70% of my visit there, just looking at the selection of books that they have. There are a lot of titles from different genres to choose from. But they do have a "Top 10" list for the Fiction books, which could be helpful in trying to decide which title to buy. There also is a staff on standby, ready to assist customers who are looking for particular titles. I could have spent more time there just looking at the books but I still had the videos, records and electronics section to visit. Maybe next time I can devote all of my time on the books. The store sells all sorts of dvds, from tv series, classic and new films. They also sell them in sets which is good for those who collect dvds of tv series or sitcoms. An array of records awaits all music lovers at the megastore. There is something for every music genre. They even have a lot of Arabic titles. I was looking for the record of Elliott Yamin but unfortunately they don't have it yet. I guess it was rather too early to be looking for it since it has only been released a day before yesterday.  I guess I will have to come back for that as well.

Among the electronic items that they have are laptops, game consoles, mobile phones, Ipods and other electronic accessories. However, the one that draws attention the most would be the Apple/Mac laptops. It is acually the only store here in Qatar that showcases the brand, thus making it more popular with the public.  All-in-all, the visit was pleasant. If you are looking for something to buy, whether is a book, a dvd, a record or an electronic item, going to Virgin Megastores would be a good thing. Only, don't expect that you'll be saving a lot of money when you buy your items there, as the prices of items are the same in other stores if not higher.

Virgin Megastore's contact details:
Tel: +974 4135823/4135824
Address: PO BOX 55417, Doha, Qatar
Email: vgn.vil.qa@azadea.com