It's official: Microsoft will open a retail store in New York City.

The rumored flagship shop will be located at 677 Fifth Ave.—five blocks away from Apple's iconic glass cube.

Redmond appears unphased by the competition, explaining that its new Midtown location will serve as the centerpiece of the growing Microsoft Stores experience.

"This is a goal we've had since day one—we were only waiting for the right location. And now we have it," David Porter, corporate vice president of Microsoft's worldwide retail stores, wrote in a blog post.

But the Fifth Ave. retailer will be more than just another Microsoft Store: It will also serve as an experimental space for the company to engage with customers "in new and innovative ways."

Taking a page from Apple, the New York City Microsoft Store will feature a Community Theater program, which is already in place at various stores across the country. Shoppers and small business owners alike can stop by for free classes about Microsoft products, as well as the broader topics of science and technology; or pop in to hone their programming skills.

"This is an important milestone for Microsoft overall, our Stores team, and millions of our current customers, as well as the millions to come," Porter said. "We could not be more excited to join one of the most visited streets in America."

Microsoft does not have a launch date for the Fifth Ave store yet, though it will open 10 other stores in time for this holiday season. "But our New York flagship store—five years in the making—will be worth the wait," Porter promised.

Redmond opened the first Microsoft store in Scottsdale, Arizona in October 2009. In the the five years since, the company's retail presence has ballooned to include 104 physical locations in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico, as well as online shops in 189 countries. In fact, 80 percent of Americans now live within 20 miles of a Microsoft Store, according to Porter.

For more, read Microsoft's Retail Gamble.