ElOhEl, can $AAPL survive this? https://t.co/EOhbAKNUw9

— Kontra (@counternotions) June 26, 2020

And another one bites the dust...dun dun dun and another one bites. https://t.co/PFCGsc4uD4

— Puertorock77 (@Puertorock77_) June 26, 2020

I went into the Microsoft Store opposite the Apple Store at Seattle’s U Village a couple of times. It was a showroom for a concept of a company that no longer existed. They should have made Xbox Stores. https://t.co/fcB2yFg7un

— Glenn Fleishman (@GlennF) June 26, 2020

Big News.

Microsoft to close all of its retail stores for good. https://t.co/SNSqkg2PH1

This is the right move. I've been very outspoken for years about how it made no sense for Microsoft to operate its own stores. pic.twitter.com/SseHGVB6Lk

— Neil Cybart (@neilcybart) June 26, 2020

Microsoft is closing all but four of their Microsoft Stores.

Really odd timing since they have, uhh, a new Xbox console coming this holiday. Would have been a good place to try out the console.https://t.co/1l2b9uWchV

— Hunter ? (@NextGenPlayer) June 26, 2020

On the plus side, Apple can move right on in. No need to order new glass or wooden tables. https://t.co/SbD0e0lY1D

— Joanna Stern (@JoannaStern) June 26, 2020

I have nostalgia for the Gateway stores, the CompUSAs, and even the Dell kiosks, all which closed in the early/mid 2000s.
I imagine some will have similar thoughts about Microsoft stores. https://t.co/nByyftunpH

— Brian Walsh (@mummey) June 26, 2020

RIP. My local Microsoft store has a dope Minecraft section with a giant cardboard Steve. @Microsoft can i have the giant steve https://t.co/pHMIGpy8vb

— Chad Johnson (@OMGchad) June 26, 2020

it was long clear to me that the Microsoft Store didn’t actually make any money and was purely a prestige/branding play, so this does not really come as a surprise, especially given the pandemic.

— dan seifert (@dcseifert) June 26, 2020

The background to Microsoft's store closure decision is that the Surface business increasingly looks to be losing momentum in the consumer space. The next 2-3 years will be critical for Surface.

Discussed in detail here: https://t.co/bKWkqJ1MI6 ($) pic.twitter.com/B0wFRHNY2a

— Neil Cybart (@neilcybart) June 26, 2020

I never understood Microsoft stores. This was inevitable, but accelerated because of Covid.https://t.co/JSi2V4vybL

— Steve Kovach (@stevekovach) June 26, 2020

that's two additions to the Microsoft graveyard in just a week https://t.co/ICat0B9Fwm pic.twitter.com/9ABSbZyWq8

— Tom Warren (@tomwarren) June 26, 2020

That’s a shame. I really liked my local Microsoft Store. It was never crowded like the Apple Store but had a good selection of machines/accessories, cool in-store demos, and knowledgeable staff. Good on Microsoft for not laying-off those willing to transition to different roles. https://t.co/pIviv80NhB

— Quinn Nelson (@SnazzyQ) June 26, 2020

Microsoft: We are going to launch a new console this year, consumers will love it!

Also Microsoft: We are shutting down our retail stores where consumers could see the new Xbox

— Brad Sams (@bdsams) June 26, 2020

Holy hell. I love Microsoft stores. This is sad. https://t.co/VUD8Vl0cxS

— David ImeI (@DurvidImel) June 26, 2020

They can be Apple Outlet Stores. Last season’s garb, 50-75% off.

— M.G. Siegler (@mgsiegler) June 26, 2020

#Microsoft US stores closing makes a lot of sense if you consider:
? The long-lasting impact of #COVID19 on retail
?Microsoft's increased digital offering impacting consumers
?The ability to still showcase #Surface and #xbox hardware in other tech retail https://t.co/vmsQR8AaQg

— Carolina Milanesi (@caro_milanesi) June 26, 2020

RIP the Microsoft Store, 2009-2020. https://t.co/Mb5JsYnJ6g

— dan seifert (@dcseifert) June 26, 2020

I don't like to see something fail, but even in good times, Austin's Microsoft store was never even close to busy. https://t.co/cOdtUHbNnr

— Dan Benjamin (@danbenjamin) June 26, 2020

so i guess now we can finally stop pretending like these ever existed for any reason other than "apple had them, too" https://t.co/v5ZWMxx7Bj

— Anna Phylaxis (@quatoria) June 26, 2020

We still don’t have a single official Apple Store in Denmark, seems like a vanity store at this point. https://t.co/8dDIdJN9b7

— Pessimist (@pessimism) June 26, 2020

This is a big deal, and indicative of the profound impact COVID-19 is having on commerce: Microsoft is closing its 100 or so physical retail stores globally, and taking a $450 million hit in the process. https://t.co/D8BHmomS3I

— Paul Sawers (@psawers) June 26, 2020

I actually loved Microsoft stores and have visited a few other the years dating back to 2013 so this is a very sad day plus you have to think about the future of the Surface brand which is now uncertain. https://t.co/vE0Npr0cRL

— Joe Ortiz (@LeoJTravis10) June 26, 2020

Can’t blame the pandemic, the only folks I saw in those stores were employees. https://t.co/pQiMMztaDY

— drew olanoff (@yoda) June 26, 2020

The fact that it’s going to cost them nearly half a billion dollars to close these stores, and that they still think that’s the best way forward, shows just how much of an abject failure they really were.

— Storm Garelli (@StormGarelli) June 26, 2020

All Microsoft Store retail locations are actually closing fully. The flagship stores in NYC, London, Sydney, and Microsoft's campus will turn into "experience centers" that will showcase Microsoft products. Store employees will have the opportunity to remain at MSFT

— Tom Warren (@tomwarren) June 26, 2020

Today in utterly unsurprising news. https://t.co/nGCbaPbkV6

— Ed Bott (@edbott) June 26, 2020

Oh shit. I didn’t see that coming ahead of Xbox Series X launch… https://t.co/N9SziEGFNk

— trihex ✊?✊?✊?#BlackLivesMatter (@trihex) June 26, 2020

Mixer's sudden closure and now this... What are they up to?

Either shits hitting the fan or they've got some kind of mega plan

? https://t.co/ae34a9pOUf

— Martyn Littlewood (@InTheLittleWood) June 26, 2020

"Microsoft Adopts the Mac" is pretty much the next apocalyptic headline I'm expecting.

— Paul Thurrott (@thurrott) June 26, 2020

one week ago: "microsoft had a streaming service?"

today: "microsoft had retail stores?" https://t.co/8jcSSa8L6G

— zaratustra secret ninja from nasa (@zarawesome) June 26, 2020

As we make a strategic change to our approach in retail, we are more committed than ever to growing and developing careers for our retail team members. The Microsoft Store team has long been celebrated at Microsoft and embodies our culture. https://t.co/MbTW5hf3sC

— Chris Capossela (@chriscapossela) June 26, 2020

1/ The end of the ⁦@Microsoft⁩ stores is a loss for all who like tech. I still remember how exciting it was to visit my first Microsoft store with ⁦@KatieBoehret⁩ in Bellevue, WA, in 2012. https://t.co/XzZYMfAnGA

— Walt Mossberg (@waltmossberg) June 26, 2020

The only time I've been to a Microsoft store was for a press briefing with the company to check out the original HoloLens

— Steve Kovach (@stevekovach) June 26, 2020

Microsoft announces a “new approach to retail”.

Which is that it’s not going to have retail - it’s closing all of its stores. https://t.co/4KHdrMQnWW

— Peter Kafka (@pkafka) June 26, 2020

It’s amazing that the Microsoft Store lasted as long as it did. It was a vestige of the era when Microsoft wanted a piece of anything else that seemed successful, and never made sense. That said, they may have been the nicest PC-centric stores ever. https://t.co/8WiLCHgF3e

— Harry McCracken (@harrymccracken) June 26, 2020

And finally on Microsoft, this is what happens when you chase a winner by mindlessly cloning its retail stores without understanding what makes them successful.
↓ https://t.co/SHgWexsQwf

— Kontra (@counternotions) June 26, 2020

Call me too optimistic if you don't see it like I do, but closing Mixer and closing physical Stores that were severely hurt by pandemic tells me that Microsoft is indeed serious about Xbox and other products that work for them. Redirecting wasted money to important products.. https://t.co/iEBVWAHnFE

— Jerko Cilas ? (@DarthChillash) June 26, 2020

It was a flawed strategy sadly.
Opening Microsoft stores opposite Apple stores. Trying to woo the same audience. I have always loved shopping and experiencing products at Microsoft stores but they were “always” near empty vs overflowing Apple stores. https://t.co/3QZXXcQGSV

— Varun Krishnan (@varunkrish) June 26, 2020

Microsoft physical store concept peaked in 2001, right before its only retail store at Sony Metreon mall in San Francisco closed that October.

There's really no point for nostalgia as its Apple Store clones in recent years were a miserable experience for everyone concerned.

— Kontra (@counternotions) June 26, 2020

I captured this image in San Hose. The stores of Apple and Microsoft are located opposite each other. https://t.co/CXObn4m7QD pic.twitter.com/H3rnPuW4fl

— Amit Agarwal (@labnol) June 26, 2020

MSFT stock doing nothing, btw. $450 million charge this quarter to shut it all down. https://t.co/JSi2V4vybL

— Steve Kovach (@stevekovach) June 26, 2020

It’s a new day for Microsoft Store and while our approach to retail is changing, our talented team is here to serve you with sales, training and support online at https://t.co/barHcq4ppf. Learn more: https://t.co/H2vcEoZ4Tw

— Microsoft Store (@MicrosoftStore) June 26, 2020

The Microsoft Store is no more. I was chasing this story for a few days, but MS confirmed it before I got there. Hmph

Source says plan was initially in place for 2021, but COVID-19 accelerated the timeline

Hope Microsoft sticks to its word re: no layoffshttps://t.co/CU1cbzvaES

— Chris Welch (@chriswelch) June 26, 2020

To be fair to Microsoft, this is their first move in retail that isn’t simply trying to copy what the Apple Store next door is doing... https://t.co/WCpICAHvOS

— M.G. Siegler (@mgsiegler) June 26, 2020

Um ... you know Microsoft has headphones, wearables, accessories and was planning to launch a phone (Surface Duo) this holiday season, right? Oh, and the Xbox Series X?https://t.co/jSZsiSctTp https://t.co/UHNvEhX5RG

— Jon Fortt (@jonfortt) June 26, 2020

Apparently Microsoft is planning to permanently close all its retail stores.

Which is a shame, because it was the one place where I could be fairly confident there was no chance of breaking social distancing guidelines.

— Graham Cluley (@gcluley) June 26, 2020

Microsoft is taking a pre-tax charge of approximately $450M, or $0.05 per share, to be recorded in the current quarter ending June 30, 2020, as a result of its decision to close its physical retail stores: https://t.co/dWy0Xa1CVj

— Mary Jo Foley (@maryjofoley) June 26, 2020

Microsoft announces plan to close all but 4 retail storeshttps://t.co/tFLnQx1nxL

— Axios (@axios) June 26, 2020