Microsoft store coming to Mall at University Town Center
UNIVERSITY PARK -- From the Windows to the wall, Microsoft could open its first area store before this fall.
The antithesis of everything Apple filed building permits in December for a 3,175-square-foot store inside The Mall at University Town Center, according to an application with Sarasota County Planning and Development Services.
Construction of the shop, which includes a glass storefront, is valued at $2.5 million, according to the application.
The UTC store would be Microsoft's seventh in Florida and would offer more than the specialty selection at Tampa's International Plaza, which has a kiosk considered a "specialty store" where a limited selection is offered.
The Redmond, Wash., company has more than 90 stores across North America where Surface tablets, Windows phones, XBOX game systems and laptops are sold. The software giant is expected to release its new operating system Windows 10 this year while continuing growth in the smartphone market.
Instead of giving people free T-shirts and a smile like Apple at the grand opening, Microsoft tends to have special deals at its grand openings. The Baltimore Sun reported that a new specialty store in Columbia, Md., offered 64GB Surface tablets for $199 instead of the $449 price when it opened in June.
An opening date for the UTC store has not been announced and construction could take anywhere from three to six months.
Microsoft will be one of several retailers opening this year at the upscale two-level mall including Arhaus Furniture, Banana Moon, Charlotte Russe, Fit2Run, Free People, Lucky Brand Jeans, Naracamice, Oakley, Talbots, Tory Burch, Trico Salon and Vince Camuto, Restaurants Burger and Beer Joint and Yo! Sushi are also expected to open this year.
Charles Schelle, Herald business reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7095. Follow him on Twitter @ImYourChuck.
This story was originally published January 7, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Microsoft store coming to Mall at University Town Center ."