Microsoft has announced that its first flagship store outside of North America, Westfield Sydney on Pitt Street Mall, will open on Thursday, November 12, at noon.
The store will include technology customers can try from Microsoft and its partners. It will also feature an Answer Desk – a one-stop shop for technical questions, troubleshooting and repairs, the Community Theatre – a space where customers can learn how to use Microsoft’s latest and most popular products in their everyday work and lives, as well as immersive video walls throughout.
Located on Level 2 (street level) and Level 3, the flagship will be more than 6000 square feet/500 square meters spanning two floors.
It includes retail sales floor as well as an interactive space to serve local customers and business, and will employ staff originating from more than 11 countries and speaking more than 21 languages.
According to the latest Microsoft release, Opening Day in Sydney will be a special celebration. For starters, Microsoft will donate more than $5 million in software and technology grants to select local organisations in Sydney and New York (where Microsoft will open a flagship store on Monday, October 26), as part of the company’s mission to help people achieve more in their lives.
The grand opening festivities will recognise the great work done by these organisations. Microsoft is expected to share more details on community celebrations soon. Additional details for this special event will be available at www.facebook.com/microsoftstore.
When Microsoft announced in April that it would open a flagship store in Sydney, Microsoft Australia managing director, Pip Marlow, said, “It will provide an opportunity to experience the best of Microsoft products like Windows PCs, Surface devices, Windows Phones, Xbox One, Office and more in an innovative and vibrant setting.
“But this will be much more than a store. “It will embody the world class innovation that you have come to expect from Microsoft and be a space where consumers can visit and learn how to make the most of their technology, so they can make the most of every moment.”
According to Marlow, the store will complement Microsoft’s “excellent retail partner network” and be a “natural extension” of the company’s existing online store.
“This is a significant development for our business locally as well as globally and is the latest in a series of Microsoft investments in Australia,” she said.
