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Virgin Mobile USA has opened its first U.S. retail location, and it's a far cry from your typical phone-vending shop. The flagship, situated in Chicago's Lincoln Park district, was designed not to feel like a store but like the chill-out lounge of a live music venue -- think Manhattan's Bowery Ballroom with a genius bar thrown in, a Virgin USA spokesperson explained.
Much of the space is indeed occupied by lounge furniture, inviting customers to test devices and sign up for workshops in a relaxed setting. Ron Faris, head of brand marketing for Virgin Mobile USA, told The Chicago Tribune that the store isn't intended so much to generate sales, but to familiarize consumers with the brand. Most sales of Virgin Mobile phones and contracts take place online and at multi-brand retailers such as Best Buy.