Microsoft to Open 6 Additional Retail Stores

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Microsoft has announced plans to open at least six more retail stores during the coming year. The locations are spread throughout the U.S., and several will be in places where the company had previously opened holiday “pop-up” stores.

Computerworld’s Greg Keizer reported, “Microsoft on Wednesday revealed six locations for new retail stores it will open in early 2013, including four transformed from its holiday specialty stores, dubbed ‘pop-ups,’ that it established in October. The move will expand the company’s ability to sell its own hardware, notably the Surface RT tablet launched two months ago, and the upcoming Surface Pro.”

Microsoft’s Jonathan Adashek announced the news in a blog post, where he also remarked, “It’s been a momentous year for the Microsoft retail stores. We opened 51 new Full-line and Specialty stores, including our first international stores in Edmonton, Burnaby, Vancouver and Toronto, Canada in just the last year.”

Pedro Hernandez with eWeek noted, “According to Adashek, new Microsoft Stores will open at The Shops at La Cantera in San Antonio, Texas, and at the Dadeland Mall in Miami. Other locations include St. Louis Galleria in St. Louis, City Creek Center in Salt Lake City and Beachwood Place in Beachwood, Ohio. West coasters will get at least one new location in the coming year. In California, Microsoft is readying some space in the Westfield San Francisco shopping center.”

Windows IT Pro’s Paul Thurrott commented, “Microsoft’s retail stores are of course modeled after Apple’s successful stores, but are lauded for offering a warmer, more inviting experience. Until very recently, these stores—and the online Microsoft Store—were the only place where customers could purchase the Surface with Windows RT tablet. However, Microsoft escalated its plans to broaden Surface distribution earlier in December to better meet demand for the product.”