Entertainment retailer Music Zone is to boost business by opening Music Bug concession kiosks in department stores.
Music Bug, stocking 2,000 CD and DVD titles, was developed to complement Music Zone's standalone stores, which continue to open.
Managing director Russ Grainger said he is talking with parties in the department store sector that are interested in having a Music Bug concession. However, he refused to name the retailers he is in discussions with.
He believed Music Bug has great potential, and said that in the medium term the retailer could have more than 100 kiosks.
As well as space in other retailers' stores, Music Zone plans to introduce Music Bug into shopping centres, airports and railway stations (Retail Week, May 30).
Grainger said: 'I came up with the idea while lying on a sunbed on holiday. I hope to have about five test sites by the end of the year. We want it to be a good retail proposition rather than simply a kiosk.'
To beat any shrinkage problem, Music Bug's CDs will be kept on shelves within the unit and only inlay cards will be on display to shoppers.
Founded in the 1980s, Music Zone claims to be the biggest independent retailer of CDs and DVDs and one of Britain's fastest-growing store groups.
The retailer has 45 stores and is to open another four this year. A further 10 will follow in 2004.
Grainger said that Music Zone is not interested in the Andy's Records chain, which went into administration a couple of months ago.
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