Student magazine was not a profitable venture, although it did give its founder some credibility as a professional. Propelled by the anti-authoritarian sentiment that was pervasive among young adults in the late 60s, Branson convinced well- known celebrities such as Norman Mailer, Jean-Paul Sartre, and James Baldwin to contribute articles to his magazine about irreverent topics that mainstream magazines would not touch, a theme that would continue to characterize his career. On the brink of financial failure, Branson came up with the idea to sell music records via mail order at a Slightly discounted price, advertising the service in his already-circulating magazine. Thus, Virgin Records was born, allegedly named for the company staff’s lack of commercial knowleged and experience as well as the compulsory shock value. The first retail store was opened on London’s Oxford Street in 1971.