More than 50 jobs have been created at Oxford's latest bookshop, writes Sarah Parker.

Borders Books Music Cafe, in Magdalen Street, which opens its doors on Friday, will stock more than 120,000 book titles, 25,000 CDs, 5,000 videos and DVDs and 2,500 periodicals.

The store is the ninth branch of the American chain to open in the UK, and combines a cafe with the chance to browse through the latest bestsellers.

Borders, the second largest book and music retailer in the world, was founded in 1971 by brothers Tom and Louis Borders as a secondhand book shop near the University of Michigan campus.

Two years later the brothers started selling new books and in 1985 opened a second Borders store. Ten years later Borders Books Inc. went public on the New York Stock Exchange. The company now has hundreds of stores worldwide. The celebrations start at 6pm on Friday with an opening party.

Ensemble The New Noakes Quartet will play to customers at the front of the store which will be officially opened by general manager Nancy Doan, who has worked for Borders for six years and moved to the UK from America as support general manager of the country's first Borders store in Oxford Street.

Television presenter, writer and comedian Alexei Sayle will celebrate the launch of the paperback edition of his collection of short stories, Barcelona Plate, by reading and signing copies.

On Saturday, the celebrations continue with a family day at Borders including a visit from children's favourite Captain Pugwash. There will also be activity sessions, story time and colouring sessions. Later in the month there will be visits from Spot the dog and Mog the cat.

Borders will open seven days a week from 8am to 11pm from Monday to Saturday and from 1am to 5pm on Sundays. Events are planned for almost every day, including author visits, children's events, reading groups and musical performances.