By George Anderson
It's an increasingly familiar sight. Well-known retail chains are setting up stores inside airport terminals in their ever-continuing quest to attract new shoppers and satisfy current ones.
In Miami's International Airport, businesses including Borders, Brookstone and Mindworks have opened for business.
In terminals across the country, airport managers are looking to upgrade retail facilities to keep customers happy while they wait for planes. Leading foodservice brands, such as Starbuck's and McDonald's, are now almost commonplace in most major airport facilities. Newark Liberty Airport in New Jersey includes Virgin Records, Kenneth Cole, DKNY, Discovery Channel Store, Metropolitan Museum of Art Store, Ron Jon Surf Shop, Sunglass Hut and many others.
Customers, such as John Stol of Columbia, appreciate the upgrades. He told The Miami Herald he travels through that city's airport about 15 times a year. He spoke to the paper while shopping at a new Hudson News location. "This is top of the line," he said. "Look, I'm going to spend $30 or $40 on magazines. The airport still looks horrible, but this step looks good."
Moderator's Comment: What marketing and business opportunities do airport locations offer retail stores? What are the specific challenges retailers face operating in an airport environment? - George Anderson - Moderator