Microsoft plans to open its first Manhattan flagship store sometime next year, expanding to a location at 677 Fifth Avenue that's only about five blocks away from Apple's famous glass cube.

"As our first flagship store, it will serve as the centerpiece of our Microsoft Stores experience," David Porter, corporate vice president for Microsoft retail stores, told the Wall Street Journal. "This is a goal we've had since day one--we were only waiting for the right location. And now we have it."

Five years in the works, the new Fifth Avenue store puts Microsoft into prime high-end retail territory, with rent per square foot going for $2,749 on average as of the second quarter. The move will help establish Microsoft's presence as a worldwide name, an expert said.

"It's an international location, and Microsoft is an international brand," said Chase Welles, executive vice president at SCG Retail, a real estate services company, as quoted by the Journal.

Microsoft has opened 104 store locations in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico since 2009 and plans to launch 10 more Microsoft shops in the U.S. and Canada in time for this year's holiday season.

The company will announce more details closer to the launch date, Porter said in a company blog post.

"Microsoft Stores will play a key role in our strategy as we continue to deliver the outstanding choice, value and service for customers everywhere," he wrote. "But our New York flagship store--five years in the making--will be worth the wait."

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