Microsoft Retail Store Locations Announced
The locations of the first Microsoft Retail Stores have been announced. Microsoft’s foray into brick-and-mortar retail will begin in Scottsdale, Ariz., and Viejo, Calif., CNET News‘ Ina Fried reported in an article yesterday.
Microsoft confirmed it has signed leases for both locations, where it expects to open its retail stores in the fall. Microsoft spokeswoman Kim Stocks said:
“Over a billion people use our products every day yet we don’t have a way to directly connect with them. We see the physical stores, as well as a consistent online experience, helping that.
“Our customers have told us three things — they want a more simplified buying option for PCs and devices, great technology, and competitive prices and knowledgeable staff.”
Umm, isn’t that four things, Kim?
I’m not surprised she seems confused. If she read the 124-page Retail Store Proposal I reported on this week, she’s probably still a little dazed. I know I was.
I have only two questions: Will the first store be introduced to us by Steve Ballmer, will Microsoft forge ahead with its blatantly Apple-inspired “Guru Bar,” and will you be standing in line hours before the grand opening?
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Mac on July 29th, 2009 at 7:15 am
I wanna know who is going to have the first birthday party at Microsoft?
Kids 12 and under can meet Vista! The non-working animatronic IT guy with a chip on his shoulder. Free patches for EVERYONE!
Staff Comment Josh Pigford, TheAppleBlog on July 29th, 2009 at 2:35 pm
Haha, I’d feel really sorry for the kid whose parents think a birthday party at a Microsoft store would be a good idea.
galley99 on July 29th, 2009 at 7:21 am
My Dad recently bought a place in Scottsdale. If the Microsoft Store is still open the next time I visit, I will check it out and laugh.
Marto on July 29th, 2009 at 7:24 am
Thats funny bacause when the count-down to the grand opening begins Microsoft will be late to the party and stumble out the starting blocks, failing miserably in the process.
5…4…3…2…6…8…13…??…FAIL!…1…Already gone.
And its oops Lost Revenue and Poor Customer Satisfaction in the lead but here come the sure fire winners of Dwindlng Market share being pushed by Eventual Collapse and Wreck and Ruin just crossing the line both early and late but consistently dire, bloated and lacking in charisma.
Huh, not unlike a certain OS that come out of Redmond!
skellyrocker on July 29th, 2009 at 7:30 am
“simplified buying option for PCs and devices”
So what they gonna sell: Dell? Acer? Tosh? Meh! Bah!
Thanh Nguyen on July 29th, 2009 at 9:06 am
Isn’t that picture a rebranded Apple Store?
Ken on July 29th, 2009 at 9:36 am
Malls make money off the triple net, where the rent is supplemented by a percentage of sales.
Apple Stores have the highest sales dollars per square foot of ANY retail stores. Microsoft will have trouble selling anything, so either the rent will be really high, they will get bad locations, or malls will not accept them.
BMWTwisty on July 29th, 2009 at 9:47 am
I think Mister Softy needs to open a couple hundred of these stores. Yeah, that’ll work REEAALLLL good. They’ll sell at least twenty copies of another knockoff, “Windows 7″ in the Apple knockoff store that won’t make a dime. This is gonna be fun to watch. Mebbe even Boingo Ballmer will do personal appearances to crank up the sales staff to they can drag live people into the stores and try to sell stuff.
Bob Smith on July 29th, 2009 at 12:41 pm
Don’t they mean “Mission Viejo”? There is no city simply named “Viejo” in California. There are two that I know of with “Viejo” in their name, Mission Viejo and Aliso Viejo, both in Orange County.
Karen Wylie on July 29th, 2009 at 3:03 pm
The Shops at Mission Viejo is located in the City of Mission Viejo.
Alabaster on October 30th, 2009 at 12:14 pm
I went to the one in Mission Viejo last night (opening day). it looks like the original apple store, white walls, wood floor. They are selling dell, sony, and HP computers from what I could tell, and XBox 360s. The walls have LCDs lining the store, and there is some kind of kids touch screen gameboard in a few places. It looks cool, but like I said, it looks very copied from Apple. Who knows if they will do well. I heard they are not going to have tech support, are you kidding me? that was the key to apple’s early success in retail. Also the mall was micrsofted out with windows banners everywhere, they are definitely not afraid to drop lots of cash for this thing.