Microsoft has copied (or “been inspired by”) many, many Apple innovations over the years, and now it’s set to copy the location of its most famous Apple Store of all.
That’s right: the Windows maker is set to open up shop with a retail store just blocks from Apple’s iconic Fifth Avenue glass cube. The new “flagship” Microsoft Store will move into a location previously occupied by Fendi.
“This is a goal we’ve had since day one — we were only waiting for the right location,” Microsoft’s corporate vice president for retail stores said in a statement. “And now we have it.”
The move will give Microsoft a permanent presence in New York City’s upscale shopping district. Previously the company used temporary pop-up stores, along with a speciality store in Staten Island.
The New York location will add to the 100+ Microsoft retail stores which already exist in the U.S. (with around that many customers to split between them, based on a few comparisons we’ve done.)
Apple’s flagship Manhattan retail store turned eight years old earlier this year: preceding both the iPhone and iPad. Not only does it gross more than any other store in New York, it also makes more dough per square foot than any other store in the world.
In early 2010, former Apple employee Mark Burstiner rescued a broken glass stair belonging to the store and put it up on eBay — with bids eventually passing $9,500. The shop’s grand opening meanwhile saw (non-paid) appearances by celebrities including Kevin Bacon, Beyoncé, Kanye West, Spike Lee and Dave Chappelle.
Microsoft too has promised an “experiential space” with its new Fifth Avenue store, but frankly we can’t quite imagine it matching Apple’s.
If the “experience” in question happens to involve the latest version of Windows, we may just stick to our Apple Store, thank you very much.
Via: The Verge
Luke Dormehl is a U.K.-based journalist and author, with a background working in documentary film for Channel 4 and the BBC. He is the author of The Apple Revolution and The Formula: How Algorithms Solve All Our Problems … and Create More, both published by Penguin/Random House. His tech writing has also appeared in Wired, Fast Company, Techmeme and other publications.
27 responses to “Microsoft copies Apple with Fifth Avenue flagship retail store”
How is opening a store on the same street copying? I guess every store in the mall is copying the first store.
Apple changed the way we buy computers. Before the Apple Store most computer stores were built out of the way on cheap land that people had to travel to reach, on the basis that computers are items people don’t buy every day (like cars) and therefore people would travel to make these one-off purchases. Apple started building stores in premium locations, and inviting people in to just browse the products (hence the experiential thing). Microsoft and Samsung “borrowed” Apple’s model by creating their own own-brand stores in premium locations. Now on top of that Microsoft’s flagship store is going to be based mere blocks from Apple’s? I don’t know, all sounds a bit far-fetched to be a coincidence.
Actually, Gateway Computers was the first manufacturer to have dedicated stores nationwide with their Gateway Country Stores… the first of which opened in 1996. Sony stores were also before Apple. Apple was late to the game – as in five years later (2001), they’ve just been the most successful.
I’m all for people being fanboys and homers, but getting the facts right should be important – regardless of who your demographic is.
Where does this article say that it’s a fact that Apple was the first electronics company to have their own branded store?
My response was more pointed to the “fanboys” here saying that Microsoft is unoriginal, when the retail store idea wasn’t original for Apple either. Also, the title of the article has “Microsoft copies Apple…” which is clearly pandering.
Retail competitors open up across the street from one another all the time, this is nothing new. In truth, they are both “copying” the tried and true model of challenging your competitors face to face.
His reply was to the mod, whom (the mod), was WAY off with his assumptions. Also, to piggy back off of what Brad said, CompUSA, Circuit City, Datavision, as well as more recently Best Buy, all have locations in and around Midtown. In fact, I’m pretty sure that CompUSA and Datavision were some of the “inspirations” for Apple picking a midtown location. CompUSA had it’s flagship Near the New York Public Library, you know, the famous one that’s in movies and shows.
I think it might be a good idea. having similar retailers in a similar area does help competition and creates common destination shopping hubs… however Microsoft’s brand is not particularly exclusive as Apples brand is. I’m not sure how their consumer base will embrace a lower-value proposition and unless I am very much mistaken Microsoft’s stores have not done terribly well to date.
That being said, Microsoft having more of a presence in manhattan would be welcome. Not that I’m going to move from Apple, but having a place for Xbox deals during black Friday is good.
Just go to a cheap Microsoft retail store (yes, those cheap copycats now have retail stores can you believe that!!! ) anywhere close to an Apple store and you’ll see what everyone knows.
Is there no end to Microsoft’s patheticness?!?
Stop being such an ignorant fanboy pls
Is there no end to your blinding fanboyness?!?
You’re defending Surface, you fool?!?
You’re profile picture is of a company logo you seem to worship, you fool?!?
You & Tallest Skil are fools!
Will Microsoft have a special table where you can buy a Windows license? It would have to be right next to the Zune table, right? God they make such fantastic……… What do they make again?
They sell the most used operating system in the entire planet and a game console called Xbox.
They also license the Azure platform which Apple uses for their backend servers.
You can’t take a joke I see.
You just got owned!
Apple is certainly doomed from such stiff competition.
Why is opening a store, copying Apple?
Have you ever been to a Microsoft Store? Same wooden display tables, same colorful employee T-shirts and ID tags, same customer service desk.
All of which are not unique to Apple. Gateway stores had the same setup and model in the mid-90s – except with giant CRTs and desktops, and they all just copied the Borders/B&N model of letting your customers sit around and do nothing.
The only difference is, Apple is extremely profitable with it.
Because page views.
COM must be desperate for page views these days.
Well that’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.
“Copying”….HAHAHAHA.
LOL. This article is funny. How opening a store is copying? Some people just need to mock others for no reason.
wow Microsoft is still copying apple