Store Wars: Microsoft opened its largest store today – right across from the Apple Store

Microsoft has opened its sixth and largest store ever (8,600 sq feet) in the gigantic Mall of America in Minnesota today, and the store is right across the aisle from the Apple Store, as previously announced this summer.

Is this a mainstream, Mid-Western tech lovers dream come true or what? If you’ve got the spare change (or are doing some holidays shopping of course) you walk into the Apple Store, pick yourself up an 11 inch MacBook Air, throw in an iPad and and iPod Touch, then walk about 20 feet to the Microsoft Store, grab an Xbox with Kinect, a copy of Windows 7, then grab yourself any number of Windows focused accessories. Of course, then you can go and wash all that credit card debt down with a Slushie in the food court!

Oh, and Kelly Clarkson apparently performed today at the Mall, and the first 100 people that got into the Microsoft Store got her autograph (if you care about such things, we guess that’s interesting).

Here’s a video of the grand opening today: