“Microsoft Corp. is on the prowl for a store in Times Square. The move would be the software giant’s first big stab at retail and may be an attempt to play catch-up with archrival Apple, which has hit a home run with its own branded stores, including its New York City flagship in SoHo,” Louise Kramer reports for The New York Post. “Microsoft is looking for a large space to create a ‘branding experience’ a la Apple’s showroom and information center.”
Kramer writes, “Apple took what was viewed as a big risk by branching into retail, but the venture has been such a success that the company has opened 110 stores while Microsoft has continued selling through other retailers. Microsoft did attempt a small-scale retail store, called MicrosoftSF, in San Francisco. It opened in 1999 and closed three years later. In recent weeks, Microsoft officials have been in touch with New York real estate brokers who have worked on transactions in Times Square. A company spokesman declined to comment.”
Full article, which was surrounded by Apple’s Mac OS X Tiger Dashboard Widget ads during our visit, here.
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