Utah’s first Microsoft store opened its doors Thursday at City Creek Center. Customers were greeted with high fives and cheers at the door. Some came for the giveaways and free concert tickets, but Kelly McClean of Salt Lake City says she came out of curiosity.
“I’d never heard of a Microsoft store before, so I thought I’d come and check it out,” McClean says.
The store at City Creek Center is the first in Utah and one of only 33 across the country. As customers enter the store just outside the food court on the ground level, the first thing on display is Microsoft’s flagship products, the Surface computer tablet. There’s also an Xbox 360 video game section, as well as mobile phones, laptops, and ultrabooks which run Microsoft software. The software itself is tucked away in the back of the store. Customer Art Cranbule of Eagle Mountain says he didn’t know what to expect.
“I really wanted to see what in the world they possibly could sell, because they’re a software company,” Cranbule says. “I mean, they have a hold in hardware as well, but I wanted to see beyond an X-box, and the Surface what they would possibly sell to fill up the store…. lots of ultrabooks, lots of tablets, and lots of people.”
Microsoft Communications Manager Jonathan Adashek flew in from Washington state for the event. He says they’ve hired 45 staff at their City Creek store, and those staff have been instructed to help people with any question – even if it’s with a device bought elsewhere.
“We’re opening our stores to build relationships with our customers one at a time,” Adashek says. “Salt Lake has always been a target for us since we started opening stores. We try to find the best malls and the best areas in that mall. I feel like we’re going to do a good business here in the store. “
Microsoft plans to open 10 more stores in other states between now and summer.
