A gauntlet of wildly cheering sales people dressed in brightly colored T-shirts, a sleek, white store, a simple but elegant design.

You will be excused for thinking the video below is from an Apple store, but it is actually from the opening of a Microsoft Store in Scottsdale, Ariz., today.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right?

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Today, Microsoft tweeted a photo of the wall in front of one of its upcoming retail stores, either in Scottsdale, Ariz., or Mission Viejo, Calif.

Although it is not clear which location it is–frankly, those mall potted plants could be just about anywhere–I am guessing some Foot Locker is right around the corner and an Outback Steakhouse is not far either.

This does not bode well, especially if Microsoft is hoping to one-up the sleek and hip Apple store vibe.

In fact, that’s where BoomTown is off to now, to get an early place in line for an iTablet.

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Displaying BoomTown’s advanced age and elephantine cache of meaningless tech memories, after news yesterday that the software giant was plunging into the retail market, I was surprised to find little mention that Microsoft’s last store effort had ended in failure in 2001.

That’s not to say it’s a particularly good or bad idea to hire a former Dreamworks and Wal-Mart exec named David Porter as vice president of retail stores to create Microsoft-branded stores–or as the company announced yesterday, “to create a better PC and Microsoft retail purchase experience.”

Just as long as the Zunes go on the back shelf!

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On Friday, which was the debut day for the new 3G iPhone, BoomTown was at Apple’s flagship store on Fifth Avenue in midtown Manhattan bright and early to chronicle the marketing madness wrought by his iPhoniness Steve Jobs.

So, after a lovely weekend at the shore, I went back late Sunday night (without Mom!) to the same store, assuming it had all calmed down.

Oh no, my friends.

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