Microsoft Store (retail)

Microsoft Store

File:Microsoft icon.svg
Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Computer hardware Computer software Consumer electronics Distribution
Founded	October 22, 2009 (2009-10-22)
Defunct	June 26, 2020 (2020-06-26)
Fate	Closed by parent
Number of locations	Worldwide: 116 outlets across 4 countries and 1 territory (107 US/10 international) United States: 106 Canada: 8 Australia: 1 United Kingdom: 1 Puerto Rico: 1
Key people	Steve Ballmer Satya Nadella (CEO)
Products	Surface Xbox Virtual reality Windows 10 Office 365 Microsoft and third-party software and accessories Computer Repair Services
Parent	Microsoft
Website	www.microsoftstore.com

Microsoft Store was a retail chain and e-commerce platform owned by Microsoft, specializing in computers, software, and consumer electronics.

The retail outlets showcased Signature PCs, tablets including the Microsoft Surface, as well as third-party devices from Acer, Dell, HP, Lenovo, and VAIO, all free of pre-installed trial software. Their inventory featured retail editions of Windows, Office suites, Xbox consoles, games, along with services like on-site Xbox troubleshooting. The Answers Desk offered technical assistance for Microsoft products and hosted educational sessions and personalized consultations.

The initial two locations opened simultaneously in Scottsdale, Arizona, and Mission Viejo, California, aligned with the launch of Windows 7. Subsequent expansion covered numerous U.S. states. At the 2011 Professional Developers Conference, Microsoft revealed intentions to establish 75 additional stores within three years.

International growth commenced with a Toronto store opening in November 2012. The first flagship store in the Asia-Pacific region debuted in Sydney in November 2015. In September 2017, Microsoft announced a flagship outlet on Regent Street in London.

On June 26, 2020, Microsoft announced the permanent shutdown of all physical stores following the COVID-19 pandemic closures, transitioning to an exclusively online retail model. Four sites located in New York City, Sydney, London, and Redmond were transformed into Microsoft Experience Centers.

History

Microsoft’s earliest retail venture was a store inside the Metreon in San Francisco, managed by Sony Retail Entertainment from 1999 until its closure in 2001.

In 2009, Microsoft launched a "Retail Experience Center" at its headquarters in Redmond, Washington and revealed plans for branded retail stores. The first official Microsoft Store opened on October 22, 2009, in Scottsdale, Arizona, coinciding with the Windows 7 release. A second location followed in Mission Viejo, California, with five additional stores opening throughout 2010. By May 2011, the ninth store started operations in Atlanta, Georgia, with further expansions scheduled for Houston and Los Angeles.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most Microsoft Stores closed temporarily in March 2020. On June 26 of that year, Microsoft declared all physical stores would close permanently to focus on digital sales channels. Four locations—in New York City, Sydney, London, and Redmond—were repurposed as "experience centers."

By early 2025, the flagship store in London closed on January 31 and Sydney’s location ceased operations on May 10, leaving New York as the only remaining retail experience center.

Shopping experience

The Microsoft Store embraced a retail approach inspired by the highly successful Apple Store, prioritizing superior customer service by employing exclusively sales personnel alongside "Technical Advisers"—comparable to Apple's "Genius Bar"—to provide technical support. Furthermore, "Specialists" were available to offer training sessions designed to help customers fully utilize their software. Visitors could also interact with Xbox One consoles on-site.

Retail locations

Microsoft Store outlets operated throughout the United States, with additional locations including seven stores in Canada, one in Sydney, Australia, and another in London, England, which was later transformed into an Experience Center. More recently, Microsoft launched Company Stores at its Redmond headquarters and Silicon Valley Campus, both open to the general public.

Microsoft Specialty Stores

Introduced in May 2013, Microsoft Specialty Stores consisted of mall kiosks that expanded upon the Surface-focused pop-up store concept initiated during the Windows 8 launch. These locations offered a curated selection of products primarily highlighting Surface devices and Windows Phone models. By June 2019, Microsoft had closed all Specialty Stores.

Best Buy Windows Stores

On June 13, 2013, Microsoft formed a partnership with Best Buy to replace traditional PC departments with The Windows Store across 600 Best Buy locations in the U.S. and Canada by September 2013. This store-within-a-store concept showcased Windows-based devices alongside Microsoft hardware and software offerings such as Office, Surface, and Xbox products. Meanwhile, other manufacturers including Apple, Google, and Samsung retained separate dedicated areas. Best Buy also committed to hiring 1,200 sales associates trained by Microsoft and expanding accessory selections for Microsoft products like Windows Phone.

See also

• Apple Store
• Google Store

External links

• Microsoft Store Locations (Defunct)