Microsoft Opens Colorado Retail Store in Wyoming

Microsoft currently has 11 retails stores in the United States. Three years from now it will have 86.

During Microsoft’s Worldwide Partner Conference today, COO Kevin Turner said the company will open 75 more brick-and-mortar storefronts over the next two to three years. Said Turner, “We’ve got a huge opportunity to get the Microsoft story out there.”

This will account for a significant expansion of Microsoft’s first retail settlements which to date have been limited to cities in California and a handful of other states, including Colorado — which Microsoft evidently believes to be located in Wyoming.

A wise move, particularly with more Windows Phones headed to market. As Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer conceded last week, Microsoft’s smartphone share has gone from “very small to very small.” An expanded retail presence in key markets could do something to change that.