Microsoft Store to close at Montgomery Mall

Bad news for Xbox gamers and fans of Microsoft devices: the Microsoft Store at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda will be closing. Microsoft Stores had been closed already during the pandemic, but now the tech giant is permanently closing all 83 of its bricks-and-mortar retail stores across the country. Shares of Microsoft have dropped 1.83% on the announcement this morning, CNBC reports.

Apple Store, As Kindred Spirits reopen at Westfield Montgomery Mall; Microsoft Store Surface Studio pre-orders

The Apple Store has reopened at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda, just days ahead of the biggest shopping day of the year, Black Friday. On display inside the expanded store is the new MacBook Pro with Touchbar. As you can see in the picture below, it is no less crowded, but at least is now more comparable in size to the popular Bethesda Row location.

Also returning to the mall is gift shop As Kindred Spirits, now in the space outside of Nordstrom on Level 1 recently vacated by GameStop.

Microsoft Surface Studio

Not to be outdone by Apple, the Microsoft Store - across from Starbucks on Level Two - is gearing up for holiday shopping by offering pre-orders for the coveted Surface Studio.

MICROSOFT STORE GRAND OPENING TODAY IN BETHESDA (PHOTOS)

The biggest event in Bethesda today is the Grand Opening of the new Microsoft Store at Westfield Montgomery Mall. If you are one of the first 200 people in line this morning at 10:30, you will get to meet Stephen Strasburg of the Washington Nationals later in the afternoon.

The white coverings will
come off today and open
out into the mall corridors

Microsoft's formal arrival at Westfield Montgomery (the company had a pop-up shop during the holidays a couple of years back) reflect's the tech giant's current strategy of "going to the top malls," Microsoft Store Communications Strategy GM Jonathan Adashek told me when we sat down for a recent interview in Bethesda. The mall has undergone a massive expansion and transformation recently, as Westfield has invested a tremendous sum in bringing the property up to top flight standards.

Adashek said Westfield Montgomery has been an "amazing partner," and that the parent company's long-term reinvestment in the retail center was just one of many factors that led Microsoft to choose it for a store location. He said his company isn't intimidated by the mall's existing Apple Store - packed midday yesterday. "We're not going to be looking over our shoulder, and wait for someone to trip us up," he said. Adashek believes that the form factor of the company's latest products, the warm and welcoming atmosphere of the store, and the fact that all of Microsoft's devices - including desktop PCs - emphasize touchscreen capability are what will distinguish it from Apple. Catching up to Apple will require building individual relationships with today's tech customer, he argued. To that end, Adashek stressed that Microsoft Stores are prioritizing "choice, value and service. That's what people are looking for when they make tech buying decisions."

Microsoft's entry into the
wearable tech category,
Band

The Bethesda Microsoft Store's manager, Tiffany Traynum, was also emphasizing what distinguishes Microsoft products from the competition Friday, as the store's team prepared for today's opening. Microsoft Office products that work across all platforms using the cloud, a People app that helps organize mail and online activities of your friends and family on Windows Phones, and the Cortana voice feature on Microsoft's wearable Band device are all exclusive to Microsoft. You can still use Band with your iPhone or Android, but only a Windows Phone will give you Cortana's ability to send texts via your voice, or give a voice command to set an alarm.

While larger than a Microsoft specialty store, the 1273 SF Bethesda store is smaller than the Tysons location. It doesn't have the home theater space or side video walls of Tysons, but does have a massive video wall along the back. That will primarily showcase Microsoft's popular Xbox One, Traynum said, but can also be put into use for other purposes as needed. Outside the store, a Microsoft Lounge has been set up with Xbox One running on a flatscreen, a spectacle that attracted shoppers to stop and take part in impromptu dance-a-thons with a Microsoft Store employee yesterday.

There'll be a lot more going on today besides the Nationals' ace playing Xbox. A ribbon cutting with Microsoft's VP of Government Affairs, Fred Humphries, will kick things off at 10:30 AM. The first 500 people in line will get Microsoft gift cards randomly worth anywhere from $10-1000. You will also be able to purchase a Toshiba Encore 2 tablet, Xbox 360, or HP Stream 7 Signature Edition tablet for only $99 today. The latter tablet will include a free year of Microsoft Office 365 Personal, that allows you to use Office across multiple devices.

The top Windows Phones

Surface Pro 3

The Microsoft Store will also be making several technology grants to local non-profits. They include downtown Bethesda's own Imagination Stage ($100,000) and Wounded Warriors ($50,000), as well as nearby National 4-H Council, MdBio, YMCA Bethesda-Chevy Chase, and STEMaction. In total, there will be $625,000 in grants today.

Thirty-three people will be employed at this location. The Microsoft Store is located on the upper level, across from Starbucks outside of Macy's.

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.