Microsoft to Launch Holiday Stores in U.S., Canada

Microsoft is expanding its brick-and-mortar retail footprint with the addition of more than 30 new locations for the holiday season.

The company is putting preparations in place to meet expected demand for new Windows 8-enabled devices this fall. Microsoft said it will launch its holiday stores nationwide, with locations planned from New York City, San Franciso, Canada, and more. For a full list of store locations, see below. Microsoft promised to announce additional holiday store locations and details in the coming weeks.

The Redmond, Wash.-based computing giant currently has 23 retail stores in the U.S., and is looking to further expand its presence over the next year or so. The stores are stocked with all of Microsoft's software and hardware products, including Xbox 360 and Kinect gaming systems, Windows Phone-based devices, Microsoft Office software, and PCs loaded with Windows.

The stores also feature a panoramic wall wrapping around the entire space from which customers can watch video and play games. Customers can also try out any Xbox and Kinect games before they buy.
The new holiday locations, like Microsoft's existing stores, will focus on customer service.

"The holiday stores continue to offer customers the opportunity to learn new technology skills and get the most out of their Microsoft-enabled devices," Microsoft said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Microsoft announced last week that it is planning to open its first retail store in Canada on Nov. 16. Besides the upcoming Toronto location, Microsoft currently has plans to open retail stores in San Juan, Puerto Rico; Newark, Del.; Corte Madera, Calif.; Salem, N.H.; Huntington Station and White Plains, N.Y.; and Cincinnati, Ohio.

The new holiday store locations include:

• Aventura Mall – Aventura, Fla.
• Beachwood Place – Beachwood, Ohio
• Cherry Creek Shopping Center – Denver, Co.
• Dadeland Mall  – Miami, Fla.
• Eaton Centre – Toronto, Ontario
• Fashion Mall at Keystone – Indianapolis, Ind.
• Fashion Show Mall in Las Vegas, Nev.
• Glendale Galleria – Glendale, Calif.
• Mall at Green Hills – Nashville, Tenn.
• Mall in Columbia – Columbia, Md.
• Metropolis at Metrotown – Burnaby, B.C.
• Montgomery Mall – Bethesda, Md.
• Natick Collection – Natick, Maine
• North Star Mall – San Antonio, Texas
• Oakridge Centre – Vancouver, B.C.
• Penn Square Mall – Oklahoma City, Okla.
• Perimeter Mall – Atlanta, Ga.
• Roosevelt Field Mall – Garden, City, N.Y.
• Ross Park Mall – Pittsburgh, Pa.
• Saint Louis Galleria – St. Louis, Mo.
• San Francisco Centre – San Francisco, Calif.
• South Shore Plaza – Braintree, Maine
• Southpark Mall – Charlotte, N.C.
• Stonebriar Centre Mall – Frisco, Texas
• Streets at Southpoint – Durham, N.C.
• Time Warner Center – The Shops at Columbus Circle – New York, N.Y.
• Washington Square– Portland, Ore.
• West Edmonton Mall – Edmonton, Alberta
• Westfarms Mall – West Hartford, Conn.
• Westfield Garden State Plaza – Paramus, N.J.
• Woodland Hills Mall – Tulsa, Okla.
• Woodlands Mall – Woodlands, Texas