̨ɫ Group and Empire State Realty Trust Celebrate Grand Opening of the Empire State Building Official Store
East Rutherford, N.J, February 12, 2018 – ̨ɫ Group (NYSE: HUD), a leader in North American travel retail, in partnership with Empire State Realty Trust (NYSE: ESRT), today announced the unveiling of the Empire State Building Official Store, as part of the reimagined Empire State Building Observatory experience. Located on the 2nd floor at the point of exit, the newly renovated 4,500 sq. ft. retail space offers over 800 items exclusive to the property, including destination mementos, curated souvenirs, and modern luxury, as well as a new shop-in-shop experience, Empire on Fifth.
The Empire State Building Official Store is one of more than 300 specialty retail locations operated by ̨ɫ Group. Designing the store to sit inside the world’s most famous building was a challenging and rewarding effort, as the Empire State Building is famous for its Art Deco style. Using its iconic details as inspiration, and combining it with a level of modernity, the layout of the store sends guests through the space in an intuitive way. Catering to its 4+ million annual global visitors, guests are greeted in multiple languages by a Welcome Wall that replicates the mural in the lobby of the Observatory entrance, and are then guided by upscale brand shops and an assortment of luxury product.
Much of the shop’s collection is designed exclusively for the Empire State Building Official Store, and it includes top name brands such as Greg Norman Golf, Kate Spade, Lenox, LAMY, Zippo, Solvar, Vineyard Vines, Marley Audio, and many more. In addition, visitors will also be able to find King Kong and Empire State Doorman Bear merchandise, highlighting the heart of the Empire State Building’s pop-culture history and storied tradition.
Another new aspect of the shop is the Fine Art collection that includes a local artist wall which showcases artwork inspired by the Empire State Building and its place in the New York City skyline. Jeremy Wolff, a contemporary pop art artist based in New York City, is the first artist to be displayed. The Fine Art section also includes a line of merchandise inspired by internationally-renowned artist Stephen Wiltshire’s remarkable black-and white-panorama of New York City, which was drawn from memory live on-site at the Empire State Building after only a 45-minute helicopter ride.
“With our $160 million Observatory upgrade, the redesign of our store elevates the retail experience at the Empire State Building and caters to our guest’s interests. From the King Kong section to exclusive merchandise from top brands Baccarat Crystal, Puma, Swarovski and more, there truly is something for everyone,” said Jean-Yves Ghazi, Senior Vice President of the Observatory.
Soaring 1,454 feet above Midtown Manhattan, the Empire State Building is New York City’s most recognizable and celebrated attraction. Millions of visitors from all over the world marvel at the spectacular views from its 86th Floor and 102nd Floor Observatories. With new investments in infrastructure and amenities, the Empire State Building is a must-see for New York City visitors.
“̨ɫ Group is elevating the gift store experience in our properties across North America by bringing 30 years of travel retail experience to tourism,” said Roger Fordyce, CEO, ̨ɫ Group, a Dufry company. “We could not be prouder to partner with Empire State Realty Trust to offer this new amenity to visitors at the most recognized building in the world, the Empire State Building.”
The Empire State Building Official Store is another extension of ̨ɫ Group’s deep ties to New York. The company began as ̨ɫ News with its first store in LaGuardia Airport. Since then, ̨ɫ Group has expanded to over 1000 locations across North America.
The Empire State Building Official Store is open seven days a week, from 8:00 a.m. until 2:00 a.m. Visitors may also browse a wide selection of gifts on the Empire State Building’s official website .