By Vince Horiuchi, The Salt Lake Tribune

 Beginning Thursday, the City Creek Center shopping mall will be the site of a battle royale of the retail kind.

Utah’s first Microsoft Retail Store will open at the same downtown Salt Lake City complex where there is a rival Apple Store. The electronics boutiques will be just a half a block away from each other, vying for the same gadget-loving consumer.

A grand opening for the Microsoft location is scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, with giveaways, music, food and free tickets (quantities are limited) for a concert by the rock group Train on Saturday.

"We’re just looking forward to what the store can bring to people," said Jonathan Adashek, Microsoft’s general manager of communications strategy. "People will experience it and keep coming back."