Microsoft opening first flagship outside North America in Sydney

Microsoft is opening its first flagship outlet outside North America in Sydney on Thursday November 12 at midday. The Harbour City was chosen over London, which was long tipped to be its first international store.

The two-storey building in Westfield off Pitt Street Mall will be close to Apple Store on George Street and on the same block as the Samsung Experience outlet. The official opening queues is at 10 pm the night before with an opening ceremony scheduled for 30 minutes before the doors open.

The Sydney store will have 50 to 75 employees from 11 countries who can speak 21 languages. The 500 sq. metre store will have the same look as those in North America – open and wide, with wooden tables and staff in bright, monochrome shirts. It will be stocked with its own software and hardware including gaming consoles, as well as computers and phone products made by other brands.

It will have an Answers Desk similar to Apple’s Genius Bar to show customers how to operate its latest products, and a Community Theatre to encourage customers to utilise Microsoft product in their every day lives.

It will be aimed at teenagers to parents to tourists, as well as small businesses, Microsoft Australia’s Managing Director Pip Marlow said. To this end, the staff will include a small business specialist and an on-site trainer

Microsoft will also donated $7 million in grants to software and tech organisations, “as part of our company mission to help people achieve more in their lives,” the company said. It will also be involved in community events and tech training workshops.

The Sydney store will come in the wake of the October 26 opening of the massive 22,269 square feet Manhattan Microsoft Store in the heart of New York’s high-end Fifth Avenue retail strip. Analysts suggest that, given its expensive location, Microsoft’s lease will run into “tens of millions of dollars a year.” It is Microsoft’s first retail presence in Manhattan after closing its store in 2013.

The two new stores will bring Microsoft’s store count to 114, with US outlets in Seattle and New Jersey, and ten in Canada.

Microsoft is promising “some exciting news to share” on October 6.