US. Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) has revealed its plans to open 60 new shopping and dining options at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) by the end of 2012.
The openings in Terminals 4, 5, 7 and 8 mark a major step in the first phase of LAWA’s three-year programme to revitalise the airport’s concessions, within the airport’s overall LAneXt modernisation programme.
Based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, the new concessions focus on putting “the L.A. back into LAX” by reflecting the best of Los Angeles cuisine, culture and lifestyle, LAWA said.
The first of the new retail concessions opened on 2 April with Kitson LA, the trendy Los Angeles fashion boutique, opening in Terminal 7 (serving United Airlines). Kitson merchandise ranges from trendy, inexpensive items to high-end clothing and accessories photographed on celebrities passing through LAX.
The first of the new food & beverage concessions will be Skewers, by Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto, in Terminal 5, and a Wolfgang Puck Express in Terminal 7.
 |
The opening of the 60 new dining and retail outlets is part of the overall LAneXt modernisation programme |
LAWA itemised the concessions to open this year, by terminal:
Terminal 4 (American Airlines): Campanile (Chef Mark Peel); Cole’s (Originators of the French Dip); 8oz. Burger Bar (Chef Govind Armstrong); L.A. Gourmet Street Truck; La Provence Patisserie & Café; Real Food Daily (vegan); Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza; Homegirl Café & Catering; See’s Candies; Starbucks; Hudson News; Hollywood Style; Hollywood Bling; Sunglass Hut; Hudson Booksellers; Kids Corner; Vroman’s Bookstore; Papyrus; and Entertainment Newsstand.
Terminal 5 (Delta Air Lines): In addition to Skewers by Morimoto, Ford’s Filling Station (Chef Ben Ford gastropub); ¡Lotería! Grill (Chef Jimmy Shaw); Lemonade (seasonal California comfort food); XpresSpa; See’s Candies; Los Angeles Times; Rock “˜N Brews Concert Bar; Ripcurl; The Mattel Experience; I Love L.A.; Magic Johnson Sports; and a Farmer’s Market featuring Monsieur Marcel gourmet market, T & Y Bakery, Magee’s House of Nuts, Light My Fire spices, Ultimate Candy Company, Bennett’s Ice Cream, Three Dog Bakery; and The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (in two locations).
Terminal 7 (United Airlines): In addition to Wolfgang Puck Express and Kitson, ¡Lotería! Grill (Chef Jimmy Shaw); The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (two locations); Seven Grand and BLD (two concepts by Chef Neal Fraser); The Counter (Custom Built Burgers); Yogurtland; Klatch Koffee; Bartels’ B Grill by BOA Steakhouse; Hudson News; Hudson Booksellers; That’s so LA; Boss by Hugo Boss; NBC Universal; and CNN Newsstand.
Terminal 8 (United Airlines): Engine Co. No. 28 (classic American menu); Corona Bar; People News; E! News: Carl’s Jr.; The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf; and Marmalade Café.
 |  |
The first food & beverage concessions to open soon will be Skewers by Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto (left) in Terminal 5 and Wolfgang Puck Express (right) in Terminal 7 of Los Angeles International Airport | |
As reported, LAWA initiated the second phase of the LAX concessions revitalisation programme in January 2012, with the award to Westfield Concession Management of a 17-year Terminal Commercial Manager Concessions Agreement to develop, lease and manage food & beverage, retail, specialty retail and other passenger services at LAX.
The agreement requires Westfield and its concessionaires (which have not yet been announced) to invest no less than US$81.9 million in initial improvements and US$16.4 million in mid-term refurbishments to four facilities: the existing Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT), the New TBIT (currently under construction), Terminal 2 (LAX’s second busiest international terminal), and the airport’s Theme Building, which houses a destination restaurant and a cafeteria.
These new concepts will open from Spring 2013 through 2014.
DUTY FREE BID HOTLY CONTESTED
LAWA recently received proposals to operate LAX’s duty free stores (bids closed on 2 April), and will announce the selection of the ten-year contract awardee in coming months.
As revealed by The Moodie Report, leading Korean travel retailer The Shilla Duty Free has joined forces with Aer Rianta International of Ireland in a powerful challenge to incumbent DFS. Other parties to have attended earlier bid meetings were Dufry, Duty Free Americas, World Duty Free Group, The Nuance Group, Travel Retail USA (a venture led by Gebr Heinemann), and Shilla’s arch Korean rival Lotte, which is partnering local company USFI, a distributor of food products to US forces in South Korea.
LAWA is also seeking a second Terminal Concession Manager to develop and operate food & beverage and retail concessions in Terminals 1, 3, and 6 within the next two years.
 |
About Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
LAX is the sixth busiest airport in the world and third busiest in the US, offering more than 600 daily flights to 91 domestic cities and more than 1,000 weekly nonstop flights to 56 cities in 32 countries on nearly 75 air carriers. In 2011, LAX served more than 61 million passengers and handled 603,912 aircraft operations. LAX is part of a system of three Southern California airports – along with LA/Ontario International and Van Nuys general aviation – that are owned and operated by Los Angeles World Airports, a proprietary department of the City of Los Angeles.
[houseAd]
