Penn Square Mall

[bchris02]

You know speaking of high-end stores, a Gucci store would be nice. What would be even better is if a Galleria was built somewhere in or near downtown and they placed a Gucci store there.

Gucci will probably never open in OKC. They are only in either very large markets or high profile tourist destinations. If OKC ever got a high end department store though other brand stores would likely follow like they did in Charlotte. Charlotte has a Tiffany's and a Louis Vuitton.

[Plutonic Panda]

Gucci will probably never open in OKC. They are only in either very large markets or high profile tourist destinations. If OKC ever got a high end department store though other brand stores would likely follow like they did in Charlotte. Charlotte has a Tiffany's and a Louis Vuitton.

[betts]

But you can buy Gucci at Gordan Stuart. Obviously they don't carry as much as a Gucci store but it is available in OKC.

[Pete]

I don't think this has been reported or announced anywhere, but a big Microsoft retail store is coming to Penn Square.

Building permit for $3.5 million late last week and it's listed as "coming soon" on their website: http://content.microsoftstore.com/st...okup/zip-73132.

[Pete]

Can't tell what's going on here... Their site says a "holiday store" will soon be opening but that's a big-dollar building permit, so it seems they may start with a temporary store for the Christmas season then build out a permanent one:


Get ready, Oklahoma City
A Microsoft Holiday Store is coming to Penn Square Mall
The shopping season is almost here and so are we. Our curated selection of the
coolest Microsoft products opens on Friday, October 26.

Where to find us
This store is on the Lower Level of the Penn Square Mall, off of the Center Court, in front of Helzberg Diamonds, near J. Crew.

[HangryHippo]

Any word on when Simon is going to start in earnest on their renovations of the food court and the mall itself?

[bchris02]

Can't tell what's going on here... Their site says a "holiday store" will soon be opening but that's a big-dollar building permit, so it seems they may start with a temporary store for the Christmas season then build out a permanent one:


Get ready, Oklahoma City
A Microsoft Holiday Store is coming to Penn Square Mall
The shopping season is almost here and so are we. Our curated selection of the
coolest Microsoft products opens on Friday, October 26.

Where to find us
This store is on the Lower Level of the Penn Square Mall, off of the Center Court, in front of Helzberg Diamonds, near J. Crew.

I saw an article that says OKC and Tulsa will both have temporary stores for the holidays but the OKC store will move to a permanent spot afterwards. I've never been in a Microsoft store but I can't help to think this will be a good thing. The Apple store in OKC is rather small compared to many I've been in. I wonder of they have plans of ever expanding it.

[Pete]

Yes, this map indicates a permanent store for OKC:

[GaryOKC6]

I saw an article that says OKC and Tulsa will both have temporary stores for the holidays but the OKC store will move to a permanent spot afterwards. I've never been in a Microsoft store but I can't help to think this will be a good thing. The Apple store in OKC is rather small compared to many I've been in. I wonder of they have plans of ever expanding it.

I called them ((855) 270-6581) and asked about the OKC store. They put me on hold for a few minutes and came back to tell me that this is a holiday kiosk that will close after January 1st. I saw the amount on the building permit and it does not make any sense at all for them to spend that kind of money for a temporary location. It could be that they are not telling me everything.

[Pete]

Yes, they are installing a holiday kiosk but it looks very much like they are also starting construction on a large, permanent home.

I'm sure they just want to get open for the Christmas season.


$3.5 million is a huge amount for a retail store, so this should be large and extensive.

[GaryOKC6]

Yes, they are installing a holiday kiosk but it looks very much like they are also starting construction on a large, permanent home.

I'm sure they just want to get open for the Christmas season.


$3.5 million is a huge amount for a retail store, so this should be large and extensive.

That makes a lot of sense Pete. At first I thought the amount may be incorrect on the permit. Possibly microsoft is not raedy to announce the store location. Their website does only refer to the kiosk. they state that it is across from Helzberg.

[Pete]

I believe the amount on the permit ($3.5 million) is correct.

The initial filing fee was over $20K, and that's always in proportion to the permit itself.

Also, the permit has a designated suite number that is consistent with other permanent mall tenants.

[jn1780]

Any word on when Simon is going to start in earnest on their renovations of the food court and the mall itself?

I don't think they would start major renovations during the major shopping season. So I would say winter or early spring.

[jn1780]

I saw an article that says OKC and Tulsa will both have temporary stores for the holidays but the OKC store will move to a permanent spot afterwards. I've never been in a Microsoft store but I can't help to think this will be a good thing. The Apple store in OKC is rather small compared to many I've been in. I wonder of they have plans of ever expanding it.

Microsoft is getting ready for their big tablet and smart phone push when Win 8 comes out. We'll see how that goes.

I always thought it was dump how there is only that one small Apple store for the entire metro area. It would be neat if they built a large stand alone store somewhere downtown.

[soonerliberal]

They have Microsoft stores in two different Northern VA malls... it is amazing how similar they are to the Apple Store. They are nice, but are a total rip off of Apple.

[jn1780]

They have Microsoft stores in two different Northern VA malls... it is amazing how similar they are to the Apple Store. They are nice, but are a total rip off of Apple.

Yeah, and the funny thing is Microsoft has far less hardware to sell than Apple, but yet they have a larger store.

[Pete]

This looks like it will be a big store and hopefully that will motivate Apple to up it's game in OKC as well.

[Debzkidz]

I have a son that lives in Atlanta, and he was telling about the Microsoft store there. He also said it was a complete ripoff of Apple. I wish Apple would do something here. Either enlarge the store they have now or build a second location. That place is always so crowded I get claustrophobic in there. I have actually driven to Penn Square with the intent of making a purchase, but after being in the store for a few minutes, just left an gone home an made the purchase online instead. It's like combat shopping.

[jn1780]

I have a son that lives in Atlanta, and he was telling about the Microsoft store there. He also said it was a complete ripoff of Apple. I wish Apple would do something here. Either enlarge the store they have now or build a second location. That place is always so crowded I get claustrophobic in there. I have actually driven to Penn Square with the intent of making a purchase, but after being in the store for a few minutes, just left an gone home an made the purchase online instead. It's like combat shopping.

Its a pain when you want to change out a defective item that is underwarrenty.

[Plutonic Panda]

Yessssss!!!!!!

[GaryOKC6]

Microsoft to open store at Penn Square Mall
By Brianna Bailey
Oklahoma City reporter. Contact: 405-278-2847, brianna.bailey@journalrecord.com, @briannabailey80. The Journal Record
Posted: 05:40 PM Wednesday, October 3, 2012 5:40 pm Wed, October 3, 2012

OKLAHOMA CITY – A Microsoft Store, the computer company’s answer to the rival Apple Store, is coming to Penn Square Mall.

Microsoft Store representatives on Wednesday would only confirm that a temporary store is coming to Penn Square Mall for the holiday shopping season. However, a $3.5 million building permit to build a new Microsoft Store at Penn Square was filed with Oklahoma City on Friday.

Microsoft announced in 2011 that it would open 75 additional retail stores over the next two to three years. Microsoft is targeting Oklahoma City for a permanent retail store, according to a map that is part of a recent company investor presentation.

The Apple Store opened at Penn Square Mall in 2005. The Microsoft Store concept was designed to rival the successful Apple Store brand.

Microsoft announced in September that it would open pop-up stores in more than 30 locations for the holidays, including a location at Penn Square Mall and Tulsa’s Woodland Hills Mall. The temporary stores are slated to be open to the public on Oct. 26.

Monica Levy, a representative for Microsoft Stores, would not say if the Penn Square Microsoft store would become a permanent fixture at the mall.

“The stores will be open during the holiday season, and we will provide more information on timing in the future,” she said.

Several new retailers are coming to Penn Square Mall as part of extensive renovations that mall owner Simon Group Properties announced this year.

Michal Kors Lifestyle, L’Occitane En Provence and Sara Sara Cupcakes are opening new stores at Penn Square, along with a new 33,000-square-foot Forever 21 store.

[Pete]

I contacted both the architect and Microsoft and they wouldn't talk to me either.

But it's very clear they are building a sizable permanent store as well as having a "pop-up" kiosk for the holiday season.

If they weren't building a permanent store, they would just say so.

[GaryOKC6]

I contacted both the architect and Microsoft and they wouldn't talk to me either.

But it's very clear they are building a sizable permanent store as well as having a "pop-up" kiosk for the holiday season.

If they weren't building a permanent store, they would just say so.

I am not sure what the big secret is with them. Especially with the article in today's journal Record. They have to know that the "cats out of the bag".

[Snowman]

I am not sure what the big secret is with them. Especially with the article in today's journal Record. They have to know that the "cats out of the bag".

In the past much of Microsoft projects have operated like they were their own company with little communication going on between parts that did not have a good reason to be communicating and even then there were cases where parts that should have been communicating were not.

[bluedogok]

In the past much of Microsoft projects have operated like they were their own company with little communication going on between parts that did not have a good reason to be communicating and even then there were cases where parts that should have been communicating were not.

Knowing some who worked for there hat has typically been the standard there, completely separate profit centers with little interaction between them.