Microsoft Opening First Flagship Store in Fifth Avenue

In a bid to ramp up focus on customers' shopping and retail experience, Microsoft Corp. is all set to open its first flagship store in Manhattan, New York City.

The software company will be opening the store at 677 Fifth Avenue, where a Fendi shop sits currently. The store is just a few blocks away from rival Apple Inc.'s glass box-store.

"As our first flagship store, it will serve as the centerpiece of our Microsoft Stores experience. This is a goal we've had since day one-we were only waiting for the right location. And now we have it," David Porter, corporate vice president for Microsoft retail stores, was quoted by the Wall Street Journal.

Porter also told The Journal that the company plans on making the store "more than just a Microsoft Store" and will have an "experiential space" for customers to engage with the products.

Though Microsoft operates a kiosk and a specialty store in Manhattan, this will be the first full-size Microsoft store in the neighborhood. The company opened a store at Times Square when it first launched its surface tablets, but ended up closing the shop within a few months.

Earlier last year, Microsoft announced that it will be launching several mini stores in several BestBuy locations. The company also has plans of opening up several stores in and around the United States by the end of the year.

Mark your calendars, the dates for our newest store openings are here! pic.twitter.com/2JyoesKP6H

- Microsoft Store (@MicrosoftStore) September 25, 2014

According to Zdnet.com, Microsoft's strategy is to open retail stores near Apple's stores in order to expand its retail footprint. The company has more than 100 stores listed on its websites, but more are to come.

"Defining the time frame, locations and specifics for planned Microsoft-branded retail stores will be Porter's first order of business. The purpose of opening these stores is to create deeper engagement with consumers and continue to learn firsthand about what they want and how they buy," Microsoft said in 2009, when it first announced plans of the retail stores.