Microsoft Is Closing Its British Flagship Store In London

Microsoft says it’s shutting down its UK “experience center” successful London adjacent month, astir six years aft it first opened arsenic a 21,000-square-foot Microsoft store. “To amended align pinch its attraction connected integer growth, Microsoft has decided to exit nan lease astatine nan Microsoft Experience Centre successful London early,” says an unnamed Microsoft spokesperson successful a relationship to Windows Central.

The shop primitively opened successful July 2019, conscionable months earlier nan pandemic lockdowns began. Microsoft past quickly transitioned it to an “experience center” alongside closing its stores successful nan US successful 2020.

I visited nan London flagship shop for its opening day, astatine a clip erstwhile nan institution had overmuch than 80 portion stores worldwide. The big, bold, and British shop included Surface devices connected each floor, HoloLens headsets, a ample Xbox gaming lounge, and moreover a real-life McLaren Senna sports car that you could beryllium successful and play Forza.

It was alternatively nan venue, group successful nan bosom of Oxford Circus and incorrect a humanities building pinch windows and ceilings from nan 1920s. Microsoft spent 2 years renovating nan space, pinch elephantine 4K video walls and an opening connection that included British celebrities for illustration Peter Crouch.

After transitioning nan UK Microsoft shop to an acquisition center, nan package elephantine regularly utilized nan abstraction for business meetings and partner events — turning it into a showcase for Microsoft products and services successful caller years. A akin acquisition halfway still exists successful New York City, but I fishy it’s only a matter of clip until that meets a akin destiny to nan 1 crossed nan pond.