To run the new operation, the company has tapped David Porter, former head of worldwide product distribution for Dreamworks Animation. Porter will be given the title of 'corporate vice president of retail stores' and will report directly to Microsoft chief operating officer Kevin Turner.
Prior to joining Dreamworks, Porter spent a 25 year stretch with US retail chain Wal Mart.
"This is an exciting time with our strong lineup of upcoming product releases including Windows 7 and new releases of Windows Live and Windows Mobile," Turner said.
"David’s unique and diverse background, coupled with his deep retail roots and distribution understanding, will be an invaluable asset in this long-term effort."
The company did not give any time frame or possible locations for the stores, noting that such planning would be among Porter's first tasks when he beings at the company next week. Additionally, Porter will be charged with overhauling the companies existing partnerships with third-party retailers.
"I am excited about helping consumers make more informed decisions about their PC and software purchases, and we’ll share learnings from our stores with our existing retail and OEM partners that are critical to our success," said Porter.