United Colours of Benetton currently occupy the building, but Microsoft is set to sign a 10-year lease on the property in the next weeks. This new deal means the retail location will be the first Microsoft store in the UK and Europe. As has become tradition, Microsoft’s new store is just a few doors away from Apple’s retail store on Regent Street.
Microsoft revealed a flagship store in New York City on Fifth Avenue in 2015. That same year, Microsoft also opened a flagship store in Sydney. Like the New York Microsoft Store, the London store will be a community-centric space offering classes, training, and demos.
“This will be so much more than just a great place to experience all that is possible to Microsoft, but a real hub for the community,” – Cindy Rose, head of Microsoft in the U.K. shared some detail about the future store. “Where we’ll be bringing to life our passion for helping people explore their creativity through an ambitious program of workshops and training along with moments that work to unite the community.”
There are 75 Microsoft stores across currently in the US, a few in Canada, and one each in Puerto Rico and Australia.