Apple Digs at Microsoft With Bellevue Store Relocation

Apple's new store in red, Microsoft's store on lower level shadowed in yellow
Last November, Microsoft opened a new 5,000 square-foot retail store in the Bellevue Square mall in the state of Washington near its corporate headquarters, moving in just a few doors down from Apple's slightly smaller store in the mall.

As reported by ifoAppleStore, however, Apple has apparently decided to use its recent strategy of expanding and/or relocating existing stores to take on Microsoft in the Bellevue Square mall. To that end, Apple is moving its retail store to a new location within the mall, doubling its size and taking a position on the second floor away from but still within view of the Microsoft store on the lower level.

Whatever their motive, later this year the Apple store will move, from its ground-floor location that opened in 2003 with 4,600 square-feet, and into a second-level space formerly occupied by three separate retailers. When the move is finished by year's end, the store will double its current size and, most importantly, will be visible to every single visitor leaving the Microsoft store across the hallway and one floor below.

Apple has been making a concerted effort to both build larger stores to help accommodate the large crowds, as well as expand or replace a number of its older, smaller stores that see foot traffic well in excess of desired capacity.

Top Rated Comments

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vicorly

108 months ago

Why people don't go to the Microsoft Store...

Because nobody wants to visit the Excuse Bar.

Rating: 5 Votes

donlphi

108 months ago

Once again, Apple is parked next to a Candle Shop? Waiting in line at those locations is just nauseating after a while. It must be common.

I like the current Apple Store in Bellevue Square. It's busy, and has a good energy about it - like a rock concert. I don't know if it is necessary to go larger than UVillage.

The MS Store is embarrassing to go into. The employees stand in their clicks (similarly to the Apple store employees), but they break into 'spontaneous dance' like it's a terrible sequel to to the movie 'Coyote Ugly'. They make all sorts of awkward eye contact while half-heartedly performing to medium volume music...It goes on for what seems like an eternity.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSAXEVXvNz8 (//www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSAXEVXvNz8)

Just watching it again makes me cringe. How many employees quit their job after that one?

Rating: 3 Votes

packetrier

108 months ago

Check out Fashion Valley

This seems to be happening often...

At Fashion Valley Mall, San Diego, The Microsoft and Apple stores are in mirrored locations across the entrance from each other.

At the Mall of America, the two stores are directly across from and facing one another.

I say good job Microsoft! This is one of the best executed business decisions I've seen. Show people you can be fun too!.

I recommend all apple users go to the Microsoft store. Play with the Xbox on the big wrap around lcd wall.. oh.. and theirs Windows stuff there too.. if you are into that kind of thing.

Rating: 2 Votes

iSayuSay

108 months ago

I´m surprised Microsoft Store has wall after all
Aren´t they supposed to hate walls? :D

Rating: 2 Votes

Stang

108 months ago

The one in Oak Brook Center in Oakbrook, IL needs expanding - MS so pwned that one with a really nice one in the center of that open-air mall... :eek:

I completely agree. The Oak Brook store was one of the original stores to open. A little history - there used to be a HUGE Disney Store which eventually moved to a smaller store space. After that they split the space between Apple and some crappy clothing store (J. Jill?) I think they just need to buy out the rest of the space. I don't think it gets a lot of business. Yeah, that Apple store is tiny, its hard to get from the front to the back with the amount of people and the big tables in the way. And also I've never seen the Microsoft store with more than like 4 people in it :P

Rating: 1 Votes

toomanyipods

108 months ago

May be astrategic move, but it is definitely tactical . . .

I visited the Apple Store many times at that mall. The existing Apple Store size is 1/3 to 1/4 the space of the Microsoft location, but the Apple Store had 3 to 4 times the visitors.

Although the Bellevue Apple Store is not the busiest I've been to, it's not as big or shiny as many other Apple Store locations. The store needs a little boost and polish if it's to sit next to Microsoft's flash ship store.

I did find it interesting that the Microsoft has a wall of [bullet-proof?] glass in front of their service desk in the back.

Rating: 1 Votes

MacintoshMan

108 months ago

This story just refreshed my knowledge in how badly microsoft copied the apple store.

Rating: 1 Votes

VashonOz

108 months ago

The MS Store is embarrassing to go into. The employees stand in their clicks (similarly to the Apple store employees), but they break into 'spontaneous dance' like it's a terrible sequel to to the movie 'Coyote Ugly'. They make all sorts of awkward eye contact while half-heartedly performing to medium volume music...It goes on for what seems like an eternity.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSAXEVXvNz8 (//www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSAXEVXvNz8)

Just watching it again makes me cringe. How many employees quit their job after that one?

That IS hilarious and a bit painful to behold. I'd call this yet another Microsoft innovation except that Johnny Rockets hamburger chain already does a similar song and dance.

Rating: 1 Votes

mingoglia

108 months ago

What!? People actually go into the MS store. :confused:

I for one don't. I'm less of a Microsoft hater than most on this forum but I still refuse to go to a store that's a blatant rip-off of the original. I shake my head when on the rare occasion I walk past one. The one at the mall I typically go to try to lure people in there by having X-boxes set up with Kinect and the dance game.... does a reasonably good job at luring in teenagers.

Rating: 1 Votes