Philadelphia Marketplace Food
& Shops Celebrates 10th Anniversary at PHL Airport's
Concessions Program Toasts to Merchant Success With "Runway" Fashion
Show Philadelphia -
As one of the country's premiere airport food and retail programs, the
Philadelphia Marketplace has now enjoyed a decade of serving passengers at
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL). This June, the Philadelphia
Marketplace will celebrate its past and look forward to the future with special
events, contests, giveaways and more.
Anniversary
Happenings The Philadelphia Marketplace's merchants will be honored
during a cocktail reception on Wednesday, June 4 at the Airport Marriott.
Special recognition will be given to those merchants who have been with the
Food & Shops family for the past ten years.
"Our merchants have
been the key to our success over the past decade," said Anna DiGregorio,
Director of Marketing for the Philadelphia Marketplace Food & Shops. "They
work hard every day to make each passenger's experience at PHL a great one. In
fact, our airport was ranked number one in customer satisfaction among large
airports by J.D. Power and Associates."
Airport travelers will enjoy a
Fashion Show on Friday, June 6 at 2 p.m. in the B/C Connector with food and
giveaways to celebrate ten years of the food and shops program. The highlight
of the event will be the "runway" fashion show featuring the latest in
clothing, accessories and luggage from Philadelphia Marketplace retailers.
Passengers in attendance will receive a limited-edition 10th Anniversary tote
bag made of recycled materials, perfect for a carry-on or shopping bag (while
supplies last).
Throughout the month of June, merchants will offer
special discounts in honor of the Philadelphia Marketplace's 10th anniversary.
And, one lucky passenger will win a $1,000 shopping spree at the Philadelphia
Marketplace by entering online at www.philamarketplace.com (Contest runs June
1-30; no purchase necessary).
A Look Back
The
Philadelphia Marketplace success story starts in the 1990s, when the City of
Philadelphia decided to upgrade its shopping and dining offerings in
conjunction with the remodel and expansion of terminals B and C. PHL partnered
with MarketPlace Redwood L.P. to manage the airport's food and shops program,
and the Philadelphia Marketplace Food & Shops opened June 4, 1998 with 19
retailers in the new B/C Connector, making a total of 67 merchants throughout
the airport.
Ten years later, those 67 stores became more than 160
shops, restaurants and services, and over the past decade, MarketPlace Redwood
has redeveloped the 135,000 square-foot retail space that today spans the
airport's seven terminals. In 2001, the new regional terminal F opened
with10,000 square feet of stores and eateries. The retail development of
International Terminal A West was completed in 2003, offering passengers 21,000
additional square feet of food and shops.
The Philadelphia Marketplace
is focused on maintaining a line-up of national favorites while also showcasing
local retailers and restaurants, giving passengers a uniquely Philadelphia
experience.
"MarketPlace Redwood has done a superb job in making
Philadelphia International one of the best airports in the country for
shopping, eating, and finding passenger-friendly amenities," said Charles
Isdell, the City's Acting Director of Aviation. "We congratulate MarketPlace on
its successes in the past 10 years and its contributions in making PHL one of
America's best airports."
New in 2008
Adding to the
diverse food and retail mix at PHL this year are several new locations:
Coming soon, Dunkin' Donuts will open a full-service restaurant
in Concourse D, joining the company's beverage kiosk that opened last summer at
the top of Concourse B.
Vino Volo, which opened May 22, is an
upscale lounge, restaurant and tasting bar, offering passengers a relaxing
place to pass time between flights with a glass of red or white.
Philly favorite Chickie's & Pete's will serve up its famous crab
fries and other specialties at new restaurant in International Terminal A West.
The first airport Chickie's & Pete's debuted in Concourse E last December,
and a second location opened this February in Concourse C.
Guava
& Java, an innovative food and drink concept created and designed
exclusively for airports, will open two locations, one in Concourse AE and a
second in Concourse E, later this year. Guava & Java will serve hot
paninis, freshly made sandwiches, smoothies, and assortment of blended coffees
and beverages.
Au Bon Pain, a current airport favorite among
passengers and employees, will open their third location in Terminal F, later
this year. Au Bon Pain is best known for their authentic artisan breads,
scrumptious pastries and inspired menu filled with savory sandwiches, soups,
salads and entrees.
AeroClinic was formed with a vision of
bringing convenient, customer-friendly healthcare services to the largest
consumer venue in the world - airports. AeroClinic's model of quality well-care
and minor ill-care will bring a vital service to the thousands of airline and
airport employees each day - along with millions of travelers passing PHL
daily. AeroClinic will open later this year in the AB Link.
At
Villa Fresh Italian Kitchen, authentic baked pizza, homemade pasta,
stuffed strombolis, specialty salads and freshly made Italian entrees come from
old-world recipes from Naples, Italy. Currently located in Concourse AE, Villa
Fresh Italian Kitchen will be adding a second location in Concourse B later
this year. A Look Ahead
Another planned expansion to the
Philadelphia Marketplace Food & Shops will occur in November 2008 with the
opening of the D/E Connector. This will add 15,000 square feet of retail space
to the airport with a variety of new shops and restaurants, to be announced
later this year.
"Passengers will have even more shopping and dining
choices when the D/E expansion opens for business," said Clarence LeJeune, Vice
President and General Manager for the Philadelphia Marketplace Food &
Shops. "This is a great opportunity for us to introduce new retail concepts and
continue to exceed our passengers' expectations."
ABOUT MARKETPLACE
REDWOOD L.P. MarketPlace Redwood, L.P. is the private partner with the
City of Philadelphia in the development and management of the food and retail
program throughout Philadelphia International Airport. The award-winning food
and retail program consists of stores and eateries throughout Terminals A-West
through F. The airport features more than 125 in-line stores, restaurants and
services, plus an average of 30-40 specialty retail units. MarketPlace Redwood,
L.P. is a partnership of MarketPlace Development, a Boston-based retail
development firm that partners with airports and airlines, and Redwood Airport
Management which is a subsidiary of Redwood Advisory, a Philadelphia-based
retail development, management and consulting firm. For more information, visit
www.philamarketplace.com.
Congratulations to the following merchants who have been a part of
the Philadelphia Marketplace Food & Shops since it opened on June 4, 1998:
- Airport
Wireless
- Asian Chao
- Auntie Anne's
Pretzels
- Barbara
Bestsellers
- Brookstone
- Burger
King
- Delilah's En
Flight
- Destination
PHL
- Eat at
Joe's
- Famous King of
Pizza
- Fire &
Ice
- GAP Women
- Jet Rock Bar &
Grill
- Johnston &
Murphy
- Lids
- Magic Shoe
Shine
- Old Philadelphia
Tavern
- Pennsylvania
Market
- PGA Tour
Shop
- Philly Bends &
Twists
- Philly
Pretzels
- Philly Steak &
Gyro
- PIA
Services
- PNC Bank
- Prestige
Signatures
- Saladworks
- Sbarro
- Sunglass
Hut
- TGI Friday's
- Time To
Fly
- Wilsons
Leather
- Yummy
Pretzels
Philadelphia Marketplace Food & Shops Merchant Success Stories
Prestige
Signatures
Prestige Signatures, which offers watches, leather goods
and fine writing instruments, began serving PHL customers in 1996 and was the
first-ever merchandise cart at the airport. Founded by area resident Shereen
Zakkouc with a kiosk at Philadelphia's Franklin Mills Mall, Prestige Signatures
jumped on the opportunity to open at PHL when the airport's specialty retail
program first started.
Zakkouc's husband, Maz, who currently operates
the PHL location, says part of the company's success is because of the
"family-like" atmosphere between the merchants and management. After a serious
car accident in the 1990s, the family was having difficulty keeping the
business afloat and nearly had to shut down their kiosk. Marketplace Redwood
stepped in, offering to let them operate for a month paying a percent of sales
only and by moving the kiosk to a more high-traffic location.
With
business thriving again, Prestige Signatures moved from their cart to a store
in F Terminal in 2000. The store is now located in the B/C connector, the
airport's main retail hub. Prestige Signatures expanded to Newark and Miami
airports in 2004 and 2005, respectively, and plans to add more locations in the
future.
Airport Wireless While flying out of PHL one day,
Iris Goldschmidt noticed that new, mall-style stores were under construction,
and realized the potential for an airport location of her Bryn Mawr, Pa. cell
phone store. Soon after, she approached the airport's cart program and in 1997
Airport Wireless� began selling wireless phones and accessories from a
merchandise cart in Terminal B.
Her cart grew to a successful store at
PHL just a year later, and soon Airport Wireless� locations were opened in
Cleveland Hopkins International and Newark Liberty International Airports. In
2003, Goldschmidt signed an exclusive agreement to operate Palm's airport
locations. There are currently 28 Airport Wireless� and Airport
Wireless Palm stores in airports across the country, with plans in the works
for a new project, "Tech Showcase," a mini tech trade show of sorts.
Goldschmidt attributes her ongoing success to the cart program at Philadelphia
International Airport in an article in trade magazine Specialty Retail Report:
"It's because of that whole program that I am where I am today. I think if
anyone can avail themselves of taking an opportunity to present a new idea or
concept, [a cart] is the way to test it."
OTG Management, Inc.
OTG Management, Inc., which operates airport restaurants, started in
1996 with one location in PHL, the Jet Rock Bar & Grill. The success of Jet
Rock's first location in Terminal B led to its replication in other terminals,
and then an opportunity to open a Jet Rock location at New York's LaGuardia
International Airport. Several new restaurant concepts were then added to OTG's
repertoire, and they currently operate restaurants and quick service takeout at
seven airports including PHL, LaGuardia, JFK, Boston Logan, Tucson,
Washington/Ronald Reagan and Dulles.
Offering upscale food concepts
with high levels of design that rival popular city restaurants has resulted in
an extremely successful chain of airport locations. A high regard for customer
satisfaction, remaining open late during delays and the philosophy of "serving
food in an airport, not airport food" have also contributed to OTG's continued
success.
Philadelphia International Airport is owned and operated by the City
of Philadelphia. The Airport is a self-sustaining entity that operates without
the use of local tax dollars. It is one of the largest economic engines in
Pennsylvania, generating an estimated $14 billion in spending to the regional
economy and employing a workforce of nearly 42,000. Visit the official
Philadelphia International Airport website at http://www.phl.org
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