Microsoft to Add 75 New Retail Stores Within Three Years

Microsoft Corp. said that in the next two- to three years it will add 75 new retail stores to its current roster of 11 outlets, dispersed throughout the country in a rapid expansion of a format it believes is “helping us to transition from thinking about our customers to thinking like our customers,” according to Kevin Turner, Microsoft chief operating officer.

Turner told attendees at the third day of Microsoft’s Worldwide Partner Conference in Los Angeles, CA that “we all know that when we do a better job with consumers we’re going to sell more product into businesses.”

He characterized the expansion as “doubling down on the Microsoft stores.”

The vendor’s 11 current stores, the first of which were opened two years ago, are located in Atlanta, GA; Bellevue, WA; Bloomington, MN; Costa Mesa, CA; Houston, TX; Lone Tree, CO; Los Angeles, CA; Mission Viejo, CA; Oak Brook, IL; San Diego, CA; and, Scottsdale, AZ.

New stores will be clustered in the Northeast; South, including Florida; Southwest; Northwest and Western regions of the country, including California and Hawaii. Turner also said the vendor will add stores located outside of the U.S.

“Getting that direct customer feedback is what we’re learning and getting from our stores,” he said.