̨ɫ Group Wins New RFP at LaGuardia Airport's Terminal B, Strengthening its 30-Year History
East Rutherford, N.J., August 9, 2018 – ̨ɫ 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, ̨ɫ 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 ̨ɫ, 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.
“̨ɫ’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. “̨ɫ 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.”
“̨ɫ Group has truly grown and evolved since we opened our first ̨ɫ News at LaGuardia (LGA) Airport in 1987,” said Joseph DiDomizio, president and chief executive officer of ̨ɫ 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 ̨ɫ Group’s new retail concepts include:
Travel Essentials
- ̨ɫ: ̨ɫ 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, ̨ɫ delivers the lifestyle shopping experience preferred by today’s traveler. Inspired by the iconic ̨ɫ 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.
- ∙A∻: 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.