Our regular feature, brought to you in association with Duty Free Global from Ireland, celebrates memorable scenes, moments, launches and campaigns related to the global aviation and travel retail sphere.
CANADA. Today’s images come from Vancouver International Airport, which is elevating sense of place with the cabin-inspired Alpine Loft store.
The concept, launched on 12 February in the International Terminal, brings together local artisans, Canadian brands and travel essentials in a setting inspired by British Columbia’s mountain cabins.
Alpine Loft reflects the airport company’s continued focus on championing sense of place while supporting small and medium-sized businesses from Vancouver and British Columbia.
The product assortment prioritises local brands, offering passengers the opportunity to discover items that reflect the character of the region. These include apparel and wellness products, specialty teas, mountain-inspired glassware, puzzles and distinctive souvenirs.
Highlights include Vancity Apparel, Ole Originals, Ollie & Co., Paragon Tea, MTNPK, Villager Puzzles and Dank Mart.
Inspired by a mountain cabin, the shopping journey begins in a bedroom-inspired zone offering gifts and wellness products before continuing through a living room-style area featuring souvenirs and electronics. A kitchen-themed space offers gourmet grab-and-go snacks and beverages.
Sustainability underpins the store’s design, offer and operations. It uses wooden hangers and signage, cardboard and cornstarch-based tools and paper-only recycling bins to reduce material waste.
The airport has partnered with Vancouver eco-materials company ChopValue to incorporate recycled materials. In addition, brands such as Billy Would repurposes reclaimed skate decks into jewellery and lifestyle items, while each purchase from Six Hats Supply Co. supports clean drinking water initiatives.
The concept reflects a broader airport retail strategy in which sense of place becomes a strategic driver of passenger engagement and spend. Alpine Loft illustrates how airports are increasingly using retail to tell a regional story as well as drive commercial value. ✈
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