Two National Brands to be Owned, Operated by Local Franchisees
CLEVELAND, April 28, 2009 – BAA Cleveland, developer of the AIRMALL® at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE), has signed agreements with another group of retail concepts that will open storefronts at the airport. The three new brands coming to the AIRMALL® include:
- Auntie Anne’s Pretzels (526 sq. ft.), offering travelers their famous, freshly baked soft pretzels. Seasoned pretzel makers will cut, hand-roll, twist and bake the pretzels, which are made from fresh dough that will be prepared on the premises. Choose from a variety of flavors: The Original, Garlic, Jalapeno, Cinnamon Sugar, Sour Cream & Onion and more. For an extra boost of flavor, travelers can dip their pretzels in everything from marinara sauce and cheese to caramel.
- Bruegger’s Bagels (934 sq. ft.), which will bring its classic New York-style water bagels to the AIRMALL®, all begging to be liberally topped with the chain’s secret-recipe cream cheese spreads in a variety of flavors. Diners will also be able to choose from a wide array of freshly prepared sandwiches, wraps, soups and salads.
- Travelex, the world’s largest foreign exchange retailer selling banknotes and other foreign exchange products and services. Travelex has been providing currency exchange services on an interim basis since BAA assumed management of concessions at CLE. Once the transformation to the AIRMALL® is complete, Travelex will operate two locations – one post-security (335 sq. ft.) and one presecurity (383 sq. ft.). The pre-security option was previously not available at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.
Two of the new concepts – Auntie Anne’s and Bruegger’s – will be owned and operated by local franchisees. Both also qualify for certification under the Airport Concession Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) program.
“Travelers and airport visitors alike are eagerly anticipating the ongoing transformation of concessions at CLE to the new AIRMALL®. This slate of new units will add to an already impressive group of retailers set to open,” noted Tina LaForte, vice president of BAA Cleveland. “Moreover, each one will offer their products and services at ‘Regular Mall Prices…Guaranteed,’ a hallmark of the AIRMALL® that combines high quality with fair prices.”
“Our goal is to transform Cleveland Hopkins International Airport into a gateway for a city on the move, and a greatly enhanced concessions program will go a long way toward reaching that goal,” noted Ricky Smith, director of the Department of Port Control. “This newest group of stores and services consists of a mix of recognizable national brands, bringing further depth to a premium line-up of retail offerings.”
These new units join seven others that have also signed leases to operate at the AIRMALL®: I-Tech X-perience, Johnston & Murphy, a new Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum Store, Taxco Sterling, Villa Fresh Italian Kitchen, Green Leaf’s…Beyond Great Salads, and Bananas® Smoothies & Frozen Yogurt. BAA Cleveland announced the finalization of leases for those seven units in March.
The City of Cleveland forged a 10-year contract with BAA Cleveland in February 2008 to develop and manage concessions at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. The city anticipates the AIRMALL® will double the current participation rate of local and minority-owned companies, double the number of concession jobs, and double retail sales figures during the next decade.
When complete, the AIRMALL® at CLE will occupy 76,000 square feet of retail space.