WH Smith has introduced a large landside store at Sydney T1 (pictured) plus three airside stores |
AUSTRALIA. Sydney Airport travel essentials partner WH Smith this month completed the first phase of store openings at the International Terminal (T1), featuring a new concept.
Having won the tender in 2015 to operate six News, Books and Convenience stores, WH Smith has now opened four stores, including a 450sq m landside Departures store and three airside stores totalling over 1,000sq m of retail space. These take to more than 50 the number of WH Smith stores in Australia.
The latest units feature a “˜Food to Go’ range, alongside travel essentials, newspapers, magazines, books and confectionery.
WH Smith said: “Dedicated to international travellers, the new, larger format innovative stores are an evolution from traditional “˜books and news’ operations and deliver a dynamic retail experience for passengers. The retail environment is premium, stylish and contemporary in design and offers the functionality to support high levels of service and excellent product displays. A light and bright retail environment [features] strong navigational signage and new and innovative fixtures.”
The new concept stores feature shop-in-shop concepts from major brands such as Lego and Lonely Planet. Flight 001, a luggage concept store from New York, is located adjacent to the main landside store and features an aeroplane cockpit design, offering passengers last minute shopping options for items such as travel bags and suitcases.
The new concepts help reinvigorate the travel essentials category, says Sydney Airport |
Sydney Airport General Manager, Retail Glyn Williams said: “This is a real evolution from the traditional “˜books and news’ operations and introduces a reinvigorated range of must-have travel product essentials, that make every journey easier in a convenient one-stop shop.”
WH Smith Australia CEO Paul Yardley added: “We have worked hard to create an enjoyable shopping experience featuring global brands, as well a high standard of design, to match those used by luxury brands in airports around the world.”
Yardley said that the remaining new concept stores were expected to be completed trading by September 2016.
