Six years after stepping into the retail market with smaller mall outlets, Microsoft is literally taking the wraps off its flagship store on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue on Monday, the same day as the general release of its Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book devices.
The new flagship, along with a Sydney store due to open in time for the holiday season, signals a global expansion and renewed commitment to reaching out to customers through retail as key Windows 10 devices ship into a flagging PC market.
Microsoft has established more than 110 stores in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico, but the company wanted to wait for the right moment to establish a flagship.
"Having a flagship has been a goal of ours since the beginning, but it also was really important for us to have the right location," said Kelly Soligon, general manager for worldwide marketing for Microsoft retail and online stores.