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“We track down the best that Norway has to offer for our customers, and bring those goods to the airport“ |
Gunnar Heinemann |
NORWAY. Travel Retail Norway has revamped and re-branded its offer at Oslo Gardermoen Airport and is rolling out a similar programme across its Norwegian regional airport store portfolio.
Travel Retail Norway is a joint venture between Germany’s Gebr Heinemann and Norwegian company Validus.
In Oslo, the 1,850sq m Departures shop was given a makeover in mid-April, including the introduction of the Heinemann duty free branding.
This followed soon after the February opening of a 230sq m Heinemann Travel Value fashion shop selling accessories and international fashion labels.
These shops complement the 1,650sq m Arrivals store at Gardermoen, where the Heinemann Duty Free brand was also introduced last week.
Elsewhere, the Heinemann Duty Free brand is making its debut at an 800sq m shop in Bergen and a 240sq m store in Kristiansand.
In addition the brand will soon be launched at Trondheim Airport with two shops, a travel value shop and a duty free shop (opening on 1 May) spanning 700sq m and 100sq m, respectively.
They will be followed by a fully revamped, 1,050sq m duty free outlet in Stavanger in mid-June, at which point Heinemann Duty Free will have a presence at all of Norway’s five main airports.
SPACE AGE PROMOTION CELEBRATES NEW-LOOK STORES
To mark the revamped stores, Heinemann has unveiled an innovative promotion, whereby customers at any of its shops can win a space flight.
The winner will be taken to the spaceport in New Mexico to undertake three days of training for the forthcoming voyage. Provided all health and fitness requirements are met, the countdown will commence and the main prize-winner will get to view the earth from 110 kilometres up.
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These spectacular images capture the elegance of the new ‘Regionals’ offer at Oslo Gardermoen Airport |
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CREATING A REGIONAL SENSE OF PLACE
Another special feature of the Heinemann Duty Free shop in Oslo will be a “˜Regionals’ area highlighting Norwegian specialities. In designing this space, Norwegian architects Snøhetta have re-interpreted the country’s natural landscape.
Norway is a vast terrain dominated by glacial rock formations, lush vegetation and an ever-changing sky, the retailer noted. “Norway is the park of Europe where everybody has “˜allemannsrett’, or the principle of freedom to roam,” said Kjetil Thorsen, founding partner of Snøhetta. “In other words, the nature of Norway – its parks, mountains and coastline – is open to everyone.
“This is what we want to convey to customers in the duty free shop. We are not trying to transplant the Norwegian landscape to Oslo’s Gardermoen Airport, we are creating an abstract display of what nature means to us as Norwegians – the feel of our natural environment with its fertile greenery, fresh air and water, dramatic views and light.”
Furnishings in light oak blend organically with the oak floor, complemented by upright green gardens growing in between. Aside from providing a fresher climate, these indoor gardens will have a calming effect on passengers, helping them to recharge their energies amid the busy environment of the airport, Heinemann said.
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(Above and below) More images from Heinemann Duty Free’s extensive retail offer in Oslo |
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The Heinemann Duty Free shop in Oslo will also be the first to have a “˜Regionals’ area that evolves naturally, a pace of change to ensure even frequent flyers are constantly surprised. A “˜cloud’ comprising numerous LED lights is positioned above the product display, lighting up the wooden display units below.
The product range ranges from Bamsemums chocolate-coated marshmallow bears to Norwegian Vikingfjord vodka. Also featured are Braastad and Bache-Gabrielsen XO Cognacs, produced in France by family-run companies with Norwegian roots.
“The regional range gives our shop its identity,” said company Co-owner Gunnar Heinemann. “We track down the best that Norway has to offer for our customers, and bring those goods to the airport.”
In all of Heinemann’s stores, the Regionals area is created by a well-known designer, architect or artist who produces a concept unmistakably matched to its location. The layouts, colours and materials differ at every airport, creating a series of unique designs.
Travel Retail Norway has been active at Oslo-Gardermoen, Bergen, Kristiansand, Stavanger and Trondheim airports since 2004.
