USA. Dufry company Hudson has extended its contract at Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport by a further seven years, continuing an association which began in 2003. The travel retailer has revealed its reimagined retail portfolio for the airport, which features strong Alabama influences.
As part of the contract extension, Hudson has transformed four of its existing retail spaces in the A and C concourses into locally-themed stores and introduced a new specialty brand, Automated Retail (see previous coverage of the concept on The Moodie Davitt Report here). This represents a footprint of more than 5,000sq ft.
Travellers will find an assortment of products made in Alabama at the new stores, which Hudson said is a testament to its deep knowledge and strong connection to the local market. This also includes a long-standing partnership with local Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) Partner Irmatean Watson.
The new retail concepts
Civil Rights Trail Market by Hudson is a first-of-its-kind travel convenience store. It pays homage to the historic civil rights movement and the US Civil Rights Trail. Through a partnership with Lee Sentell, author of The Official U.S. Civil Rights Trail: What Happened Here Changed The World, the storefront dons an official timeline and powerful imagery of the national and local civil rights movements.
Copies of the book are available for purchase as well as Civil Rights Trail-branded merchandise honouring Birmingham’s leading role in the movement and presence along the Trail.
Sentell, who is also Alabama’s Tourism Director, said: “The civil rights movement was one of the most meaningful parts of American history that took place in the 1950s and 1960s. As travellers prepare to take off on their flight out of Birmingham, they have an opportunity to experience the timeline and captivating images on the wall in Terminal C and learn how what happened here in Birmingham changed the world.”
He added: “Because of the incredible efforts by the Hudson team, we can now share our rich civil rights history to travellers near and far. If we don’t tell our own story, then someone else will.”
Magic City Market by Hudson takes its name from Birmingham’s nickname, ‘The Magic City’, which serves as inspiration for the travel convenience store. The store’s exterior displays a colourful music and dance mural found in the city’s Theater District.
The product selection in the store ranges from The Magic City branded apparel to food products produced in Birmingham such as Dreamland Bar-B-Q Sauce and Pilleteri’s Seasonings. Also available are travel essentials and electronics items from Apple, Bose, Brookstone and other leading brands.
Sweet Home Alabama by Hudson is named after the famous song and movie, with the store celebrating the best of the state of Alabama. The locally-themed travel convenience store has offerings across the categories of Media, Essentials, and Marketplace in addition to Destinations, which provides a distinctly Birmingham shopping experience with Sweet Home Alabama products.
Shoppers can also find locally made goods and cookbooks from well-known Birmingham chefs including James Beard award winners Chris Hastings and Frank Stitt.
Alabama Sports Connection is a nod to Alabama’s strong college sports movement. The store offers sports memorabilia and apparel, with a large selection of branded merchandise from universities in the surrounding area, including Miles College, Samford University and UAB: The University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Redefining the traditional vending experience, Automated Retail is a 24/7 specialty retail brand destination specifically tailored to the local market. The vending offer features accessories from Happy Socks, and animal toys wearing University of Alabama apparel in an Automated Teddy Machine from Build-A-Bear Workshop.
The Automated Retail unit is affixed to Hudson’s other travel convenience store at the airport, Hudson Vulcan.
Hudson officially unveiled the new stores during a ribbon-cutting celebration on 24 August (see image below) which was attended by Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, Lee Sentell, Photographer for The Official U.S. Civil Rights Trail Book Art Meripol, and other prominent community leaders.
Hudson EVP and Deputy CEO Brian Quinn said: “We are thrilled to expand our long-term relationship with the Birmingham Airport Authority with the opening of The Civil Rights Trail Market and other new locally curated stores that truly celebrate the culture of this legendary city, while driving excellence in the traveller experience.”
Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International President and CEO Ron Mathieu said: “We are committed to giving visitors more of what they want and need while passing through this airport. Our partnership with Hudson has helped accomplish our goal of creating an airport experience that looks and feels like Birmingham.”
