EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Hudson Group (NYSE: HUD), a leader in North American travel retail, today announced it has expanded its footprint at LaGuardia Airport (LGA) through a retail package win for Terminal B awarded by LaGuardia Gateway Partners, the terminal operator. As part of the new contract win, Hudson Group will design the first FAO Schwarz airport and travel destination store of its kind, featuring signature FAO Schwarz toys and games, and will bring the epicenter of New York literary culture to Queens with McNally Jackson, New York City’s iconic independent bookseller. Additional brands represented in the new retail package include Hudson, the Company’s internationally-recognized travel essentials and convenience brand; LaGuardia Dufry Duty Free, offering passengers an excellent assortment of brands and products across all duty-free and duty-paid categories; and M∙A∙C, the world’s leading professional makeup authority.
This new agreement is for space in the concourse of the reimagined Terminal B. The new state of the art 1.3M square foot terminal will feature 35 gates, over 25 retail and food offerings, and dual pedestrian bridges that span active taxi lanes connecting the main part of the terminal to two island concourses.
“Hudson’s iconic brand coupled with its new and exciting concepts makes the company an ideal partner for this new contract,” said Ed Baklor, chief commercial officer of LaGuardia Gateway Partners. “Hudson Group has been delivering unique concepts that cater to the immediate needs and wants of travelers at LGA for over 30 years and we are excited to extend and expand the company’s contract at Terminal B.”
“Hudson Group has truly grown and evolved since we opened our first Hudson News at LaGuardia (LGA) Airport in 1987,” said Joseph DiDomizio, president and chief executive officer of Hudson Group. “We are proud of our ‘Big Apple’ roots and we are thrilled to grow our longstanding partnership with such an amazing partner. The new contract highlights how diligently we work to ensure that airport concessions are evolving to meet the growing needs of travelers. This is especially true for LGA, as our competitive bid will bring the nation’s oldest and most iconic toy brand, FAO Schwarz, into airports for the first time at the City’s oldest commercial airport.”
Additional details on Hudson Group’s new retail concepts include:
Travel Essentials
- Hudson: Hudson is the nation’s largest travel essentials and convenience brand designed with customer ease at its core. Divided into four major categories and color-coded for ease of navigation, Hudson delivers the lifestyle shopping experience preferred by today’s traveler. Inspired by the iconic Hudson News brand, store offerings range from travel and convenience necessities, tasteful local souvenirs, and electronics, to snacks and beverages, books, and magazines.
Duty Free
- LaGuardia Dufry Duty Free: Domestic passengers will now have the chance to shop for an excellent assortment of cosmetics and fragrances, fashion accessories, and confections. International passengers will appreciate the selection of tobacco products, wines and spirits.
Specialty
- FAO Schwarz: FAO Schwarz has been a brand synonymous with quality and innovation, offering an unparalleled selection of extraordinary toys that have enchanted generations and cultivated a loyal clientele. With over one hundred fifty years of operation, FAO Schwarz draws inspiration and will incite one-of-a-kind experiences to guests at LGA.
- M∙A∙C: A beauty brand that has become the world’s leading professional makeup authority. With strong pigmentations and products suited for everyday wear, M∙A∙C offers an individualized merchandise mix and category breadth that appeals to all ages, complexions, and skin types.
- McNally Jackson: An independent bookseller at the epicenter of Manhattan’s literary culture. McNally Jackson is a true mecca for book lovers and offers something for everyone, meeting the tastes of true bibliophiles and collectors to casual readers just looking for a good read.
About Hudson Group
Hudson Group (NYSE: HUD), a Dufry Company and one of the largest travel retailers in North America, is committed to enhancing the travel experience for over 300,000 travelers every day in the continental United States and Canada. The Company is anchored by its iconic Hudson, Hudson News and Hudson Bookseller brands and operates over 1,000 duty-paid and duty-free stores in 88 locations, including airports, commuter terminals, hotels and some of the most visited landmarks and tourist destinations in the world. Our wide range of store concepts include travel essentials and convenience stores, bookstores, duty-free shops, branded specialty stores, electronics stores, and quick-service food and beverage outlets. For more information, visit www.hudsongroup.com and www.dufry.com.
About HG LGA Retailers Joint Venture Partnership
HG LGA Retailers JV is a partnership between Hudson Group, one of the largest travel retailers in North America, and the certified Airport Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program (ACDBE) companies: Branded Works, Inc., Byrd Retail Group, LLC and Kellee Communications Group, Inc. The ACDBE program is administered by the FAA, state and local ACDBE certifying agencies and individual airports, and it is designed to help ensure that woman and minority owned companies can compete for airport concession opportunities.
