Microsoft closes Nokia's former flagship retail store in Helsinki, Finland

Microsoft has shut down its retail store in Helsinki, Finland. It was previously the flagship retail store for Nokia, before Microsoft acquired its Devices and Services division in April 2014.

The store location was in the heart of downtown Helsinki. Microsoft kept the store open and in late November 2014 the software giant rebranded it as a company retail location, but that move was short lived. Finland-based media outlet Yle.fi reports that the store closed on April 30 and that about 15 people lost their jobs. A company spokesperson said that Microsoft will focus its sales in Finland on other retail locations along with online sales.

The decision to close the former Nokia store in Helsinki comes at the same time that Microsoft is rebranding a number of former, and small, Nokia retail locations to its own label. Over 50 such stores in Brazil will get that treatment, as well as thousands of small Nokia stores in India. Microsoft plans to launch its first big flagship store outside of North America later this year in Sydney, Australia.

Source: Yle.fi; Thanks to Peter for the tip!