MICROSOFT STORE CAN'T WAIT TO MEET YOU, BETHESDA (PHOTOS)

The future Microsoft Store at Westfield Montgomery Mall has posted a large Coming Soon wrap at its upper level site, near Macy's. Its message is echoed by the store's website, which says "Get ready to experience the Microsoft Store near you. Although we can't reveal too much now, we can promise a lot of fun – and dancing – during our Grand Opening."

Celebrity guests at recent Microsoft Store openings have included Adam Levine, Kelly Clarkson and Demi Lovato. Whether Bethesda will get stars of that echelon remains unknown at this point. If not, the promised "dancing" will be more likely generated by the Kinect system for Xbox One.

MICROSOFT STORE OFFICIALLY CONFIRMED FOR WESTFIELD MONTGOMERY MALL

Microsoft and Westfield Montgomery Mall have now officially confirmed my June 4th report - a Microsoft Store is indeed opening at the Bethesda mall. The store will be on the mall's upper level, near Macy's. This is something of a return to the mall by Microsoft, as the company previously operated a kiosk here during the launch of the original Surface tablet.

The 1,273 square foot new store will sell those, as well as Windows PCs and phones, and the popular Xbox One game console. An Answer Desk is Microsoft's...answer...to the Genius Bar at Apple Stores. Microsoft says the store, its first full product line location in Maryland, will employ 25-30 people in total.

MICROSOFT RETURNING TO WESTFIELD MONTGOMERY MALL IN BETHESDA?

Is Microsoft opening a new store at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda? There is good reason to believe so. Montgomery County has issued a permit for interior alterations at the mall, and names Microsoft in the space description.

There is a pair of other Microsoft Store trends at the moment into which such a development would fit perfectly. One is the opening of several Microsoft retail stores in malls that hosted a Microsoft pop-up store during the 2012 Christmas shopping season. Westfield Montgomery Mall was among the retail centers that did.

Second, Microsoft is now opening a new type of store in the United States, called Microsoft Specialty Stores. Two such stores are opening in The Mall in Columbia, and Towson Town Center. These stores feature what the company calls a "curated" selection of Microsoft products. One can expect the company's hottest products to be among those curated, including the newest Surface tablet and Xbox One.

Should that be the type of store opening here, don't expect the full Microsoft Store experience such as one finds at Tysons Corner, pictured in the above photo from my blog 18 months ago. Stay tuned!

MICROSOFT SURFACE TABLET (PHOTOS) AT BETHESDA MICROSOFT POP-UP KIOSK

Another Robert Dyer @ Bethesda Row Exclusive

The long-awaited Microsoft Surface tablet went on sale Friday morning at the Microsoft Kiosk in Bethesda's Westfield Montgomery Mall.

A sizeable number of people were giving the new tablet a workout, although no one actually made a purchase while I was there.

I'll have more photos and commentary once Sandy passes out of the area, but wanted to post a couple of photos here for you.

MICROSOFT POP-UP STORE OPENING OCTOBER 26 IN BETHESDA

My prediction that the Bethesda Microsoft Pop-up store would open on October 26 has been vindicated.  The store will indeed open that day, Microsoft announced yesterday, the same day the company's much-anticipated Surface tablet goes on sale.

Microsoft's pop-up store will be located at Westfield Montgomery Mall through the holiday season.