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US (HAWAII). DFS Hawaii tonight Hawaii time (Monday 10 July) celebrated its 50th anniversary at an emotion-packed function with its employees and retirees at Waialae Country Club.
Some 1,000 current and past employees, going back generations, attended the event , which culminated with a spectacular fireworks display.
DFS first opened its doors at Honolulu International Airport 50 years ago and is celebrating that landmark anniversary this week with meetings of its Board of Directors and its Worldwide Executive Committee in Waikiki.
In a landmark interview with The Moodie Report today, DFS Co-Founder Bob Miller said: “I’m very proud. Everyone’s made a fantastic contribution here so – it’s an effort of many, many people.” [The full interview with Bob Miller will appear in next week’s edition of The Moodie Report e-Zine].
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“I’m very proud. Everyone’s made a fantastic contribution here“ |
Bob Miller Co-Founder DFS Group |
Hawaii has played a pivotal role in the travel retailer’s history. Back in the early 1960s, it was the fledgling company’s first experience in dealing with Japanese and other international travellers.
It is also home to the company’s largest single store and one its largest airport concession. DFS Galleria Waikiki (pictured) is the company’s only large store that caters to both duty fee and duty paid (open to all) shopping.
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The Hawaii operation set the template for expansion into other locations, DFS noted, adding: “the owners quickly realized the need to set very high service standards and to appreciate the particular customs and shopping patterns of each nationality, beginning with Japanese – the majority of the Hawaii Division’s customers, even today.
“Most recently, we have seen a surge in the numbers and spending of customers from China,” said David Charles, Managing Director of the Hawaii Division. “Korean and Japanese customers remain very important to us, of course. However, thanks in part to the APEC meeting in Hawaii and to the hard work of the travel industry, we are pleased to see Chinese customers in growing numbers and with a seemingly insatiable desire for certain high-end luxury goods.
“While there is no specific way to verify the data from other retailers, we believe that in terms of sales volume, DFS Galleria is the largest single retail ‘door’ in the State,” Charles added.
“With two-thirds of our space devoted to non-duty free shopping and therefore open to all customers – whether or not they are flying internationally – we hope to attract Hawaii residents to our store.
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In 2010 The Moodie Report published the DFS 50th Anniversary Coffee Table Book which traces the company’s glittering history. Click to download |
“Few people realize that we have the largest Beauty department in the State and we are home to many brand boutiques that are only available with us, including but not limited to Céline, Dunhill, Loewe and Marie-Chantal.”
As part of the celebration, DFS Galleria Waikiki is featuring works by host-culture Hawaiian artists and artisans in its lobby level. In August, DFS will hold its second annual Art of Hawaiian Coffee event, a celebration and recognition of Hawaii’s unique history as a coffee producer.
The event includes coffee growers from around the state, a historic exhibit, music, children’s activities, a barista latte art competition and a staff-built coffee mosaic.
More pictures coming soon.
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Face to face with an industry legend |
| To be in such company is to be humbled. How DID they do it? This is a man, make no mistake about it, who has truly shaped our industry – and, don’t forget, who still does |
We’ll also bring you more details on the celebrations in coming days. We’ll be talking to senior management about half a century of achievment in Hawaii and what this week’s celebrations mean.
We’ll also evaluate the company’s stunning triple-triumph at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA). There, as first revealed by The Moodie Report, DFS was recently awarded all three core category concessions in a location that, along with Hawaii, formed the bedrock of its travel retail empire back in the 1960s.
As reported, DFS was rated the top bidder overall (meaning a combination of the financial and technical bids) in each category at HKIA: liquor & tobacco, perfumes & cosmetics, and airside general merchandise.
About DFS
DFS Group Limited, headquartered in Hong Kong, is the world’s largest luxury travel retailer. With more than 200 airport stores and 14 large Galleria stores, most in cosmopolitan and resort locations throughout Asia Pacific. DFS Galleria Waikiki is the largest DFS store in the world.
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Bringing it all back home: From a humble airport store 50 years ago to a stunning shopping extravaganza in downtown Waikiki 50 years later, DFS has defined the travel retailing experience for million of consumers in Hawaii |
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