London's new London store is big, bold and British.

Microsoft has more than 80 retail stores around the world, but none of them really looks like the company's new flagship store in London. This is the best demonstration to date of Microsoft reinvented by CEO Satya Nadella. Spread over three floors, Microsoft has presented everything it has to offer. This includes Surface devices on each floor, HoloLens helmets, a large Xbox gaming room and even a real McLaren Senna sports car connected to Forza.

I visited the new London store earlier this week to see how Microsoft has transformed the site. It is located in the heart of Oxford Circus, the world-famous intersection of Regent Street and Oxford Street, Europe's busiest shopping street. I was waiting at an ordinary Microsoft store like many of those I visited in the US, but the building chosen by Microsoft is listed and protected by English Heritage, which gives it unique historical twists. .

These twists include 1920s leaded windows and ceilings that have been covered by former occupants United Colors of Benetton. "As soon as we knew what we had in terms of building history, we had no doubt that we wanted to preserve and restore it," says Simon Francis, Microsoft's director of real estate, an interview with The edge. Microsoft has restored the beautiful windows and ceilings and even fabricated parts of the storefront so that its appearance is identical to that of the building at the first appearance in 1927. Pillars were also manufactured to create a unique environment of modern technology in a Blitz building during the Second World War.

Microsoft has spent more than two years developing the Oxford Circus store and the ground floor is a welcoming part of the Microsoft world. There are giant 4K video walls everywhere you look, which are as striking as those found in the other Microsoft store. They are turning through things like Minecraft, Surface, as well as other products to try nearby, include the 28-inch Studio, Surface Pro 6, etc. There is also an Oxford Circus augmented reality experience and a collection center for online orders.

Nestled in a corner you will find the McLaren Senna. The steering wheel and the pedals are all connected to Forza Motorsport 7and the visitors will be able to start and run around the Silverstone track, just in time for the British Grand Prix this weekend. This McLaren has been specially modified to move and vibrate. It even has Xbox buttons built into the fuel tank. I tried it and it was a crazy race until I left the track and crushed it. It's really a challenge.

The second floor is where things get even more interesting. Answer Desk (the Microsoft version of Apple's Genius bar) and Xbox hardware presentation areas, Asus, HP and Razer laptops, as well as Surface accessories. You will not find any Huawei laptops here: Microsoft must comply with the current US ban. "It's because we want to make sure we're very compliant and online," says Chris Capossela, Microsoft's marketing director, in an interview with The edge. "We obviously want to make sure we respect the rules and regulations of each government."

It is interesting to note that there is a surface design laboratory here that will allow customers to choose from several UK-themed designs and engrave them onto a surface type cover. Microsoft has recently experimented with a number of custom Surface Type Cover designs, and it seems that this could eventually be extended to everyone, just like the colorful controllers of the Xbox One Design Lab.

This floor also includes an iconic red London Post Box, with an integrated Surface Pro. There is even a small workspace, which will host classes for students and teachers from local schools to familiarize them with the use of the software. Minecraft: Education Edition and more. Microsoft has even mounted Surface Hub 2 devices on the walls of this floor, giving everyone a taste of this futuristic collaborative PC.

The real star on the second floor, however, is the Microsoft gaming zone. It contains 15 Xbox One stations, equipped with Xbox-themed gaming chairs, the latest Turtle Beach helmets and Acer's absurd Predator Thronos chair. If you've always wanted to sit on a reclining and vibrant chair in tune with the games you play on three 27-inch monitors, your luck is great. Microsoft also has zones for its adaptable Xbox controller, so that disabled players can play freely in the store. This will undoubtedly be a popular part of the store once every schoolboy in London understands you can play. Fortnite with all the best kit.

The third and last floor of Microsoft's store is where things start to change. Instead of the usual sales area, it has been transformed into a corporate floor, with meeting rooms and event spaces. Microsoft uses this floor to meet with its business customers to introduce new services and materials such as HoloLens 2 or Surface Hub 2. This is less of a retail space than a sales pitch for larger businesses. companies operating in London and throughout Europe.

This area looks more like a renovated part of Microsoft's corporate campus than the rest of the store, and the company plans to also use it as event space. This will start with an Xbox showcase this weekend so that members of the public can try the latest gears game or the next xCloud game streaming service. Over time, expect to see Microsoft host more events here and maybe even product announcements.

The second and third floors really focus on Microsoft's interest with this new store. At its heart, it's a retail space, but it's also a way for society to let people see this latest hardware and software in action.

"We have been working for a long time to find a store in London," says Capossela. "The diversity of people crossing this city is crazy. It's a fantastic place, and London is one of the most obvious cities for a flagship store. We are delighted to be here. "

Microsoft's London store is also a short walk from the Apple store on Regents Street. Microsoft has a habit of opening its stores very close to Apple's stores, but Capossela attributes this curious coincidence to Microsoft and Apple, who are still targeting high-end locations.

"It is not a great design. It happens a bit because we are both in high-end locations, "explains Capossela. "Often you end up with a Microsoft store near an Apple Store. We even have regular customers who will buy a Mac and a copy of Windows on the Apple Store, then they will open the four-door door and say, "Hey, are you going to install Windows on my Mac for me?

Capossela says Microsoft wants the new store to serve all of the company's customers. "If we are just selling surfaces and Xboxes, we will not have really realized that vision," he says. "It's really a brand experience. It's a way for millions of people to come and touch the mark. "

Every week, more than 4 million people visit Oxford Street. The new store in London Microsoft will be busy. It's not just a temporary project, either. Microsoft has put a lot of effort into renovating this space. "We think it's really the best of our class for us," said Capossela. "We think that's the kind of ideal model."

This does not mean that we are about to see many new stores in the UK or Europe. Microsoft is not commenting on other store projects, but it is clear that the future flagship stores will be based on this mix of surfaces, games and business on which Microsoft focuses in London. That's all Microsoft is interested in, all under one roof.

Photograph of Tom Warren / The Verge