Microsoft has finally found the perfect location for its flagship store and it's none other than the iconic Fifth Avenue in New York City.
Occupying more than 22,000 square feet of space, the new Microsoft flagship store is situated between 53rd Street and 54th Street and is said to be a couple of blocks away from the "Cube" store of Apple.
The store is so far the biggest among the company's more than 100 stores sprawled across the U.S. There are a total of five floors with the fifth one being referred to as a Penthouse. Customers will be greeted on the first floor with the company's Surface products along with Lumia devices. Xbox fans will have to proceed to the second floor which is designed to provide new gaming experiences. It's also where customers can find Microsoft's Answers Desk where they can bring in their PCs and get free tech support depending on certain conditions. The third floor is meant for Dell while the fourth floor will house all administrative desks.
The first thing that customers would notice upon entering the store is how the Surface and other products seemed to be unwired. Microsoft has designed the store in a way that would encourage customers to touch and try laptops or phones and gain a good feeling for them. There are stools placed beside the tables where customers can plop down and "feel" the devices. It's like being inside a new public library that has wood tables and wood floors which instantly exude a certain level of warmth.
"For us it's about sitting down and educating you," said David McAughan, COO for retail and online stores of Microsoft. "It's very similar to test driving a car. It's one of the reasons they're so keen to get you into a car; once you do, you'll fall in love with it. We want to get deep into that conversation of what it's capable of, why this would work in whatever use you need."
As a way to attract customers on its opening day, Microsoft announces special grand opening offers and deals with thousands of complimentary tickets to be given away for the Pitbull concert on Oct. 26.
"In addition to our grand opening ceremony, we will celebrate the Flagship Store with Microsoft fans and the local community by hosting a special Pitbull performance on October 26 at Rockefeller Center, South Plaza! Two complimentary tickets will be distributed to the first 1,000 customers attending the grand opening on October 26. Customers who get there early will also have a chance to win a meet and greet with Pitbull prior to the concert," said Microsoft.
