USA. WHSmith North America has captured the contract to manage six travel essentials locations spanning 8,400sq ft at New York JFK International Airport’s New Terminal One.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the New Terminal One (NTO), and Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW) Airports announced the agreement on Wednesday. They also said that three graduating companies of the Port Authority’s Institute of Concessions (IOC) will join WHSmith North America in the team of joint-venture partners to deliver the travel essentials experience at the terminal.
The three New York-based firms – Beautiful Amore Skincare, Rincon Salvedoreno and Brooklyn Blend – will contribute products and investment through an incubator programme led by joint-venture partner Love From USA to offer merchandise from global, national and local brands promoting a New York sense of place.
The first phase of the terminal, including arrivals and departures halls and first gates, is expected to open in 2026, with completion by 2030.
The travel essentials programme, a statement said, will offer “a diverse, high-quality retail experience that celebrates New York, plus an array of first-to-airport national and global brands with shop-in-shop experiences”.
New York City brands will include Made in Queens, Magnolia Bakery, Jacques Torres Chocolates and Greyston Bakery. Locally made goods from New York City’s boroughs will feature granola from Queens-based Baked by Noon, art from Johnnerdraws, cookies from Brooklyn Bites, coffees and syrups from Transcenden Coffee, handmade soaps from Treestar, drinks from Red Jacket Juices and infusions from Salut, brittle from Brittle & Beyond and caramels from Cobblestone Candies.
“We are delighted to welcome more Institute of Concessions graduates to JFK as we get closer to the opening of the New Terminal One,” said Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole. “Our region is the front door to the country for millions of international visitors, so we want to be the first to show off the best of our hospitality upon arrival and ensure that energy stays with them through to departure.”
“We are prioritising the customer experience at our airports as the first impression of the New York-New Jersey area for millions of international travelers, so it is vital that our US$19 billion redevelopment of JFK includes diverse local businesses from our local community to provide that distinct New York sensibility as travellers move through JFK,” said Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton.
“There is no place like New York, and these local businesses help JFK reflect that unique New York energy as an exciting part of travellers’ memories of their time here.”
“As we count down the months to welcoming our first customers, we are thrilled to unveil our travel essentials retail experience designed to elevate the standard for international travel from the iconic city of New York while providing unmatched convenience,” said Jennifer Aument, CEO of New Terminal One.
“From beloved New York brands to exclusive products from local businesses, travellers can look forward to a vibrant shopping experience that captures the energy and creativity of our dynamic city.”
“We set out to help make the New Terminal One a destination in its own right — a place where travel feels unique and exciting,” said URW Chief Operating Officer Dominic Lowe. “In partnership with the Port Authority, the New Terminal One, WHSmith North America and our dedicated partners, we are curating a one-of-a-kind local-meets-global experience incorporating iconic brands while integrating and elevating local entrepreneurs, ensuring their products and stories are at the heart of the guest experience.”
In July 2023, the Port Authority launched a specialized training programme, the Institute of Concessions (IOC), offering training and mentoring intended to increase the number of local and diverse airport concessionaires included in the Port Authority’s US$19 billion transformation of JFK.
By completing the IOC, local businesses should be equipped to competitively bid for concession opportunities, win contracts and effectively operate concessions within the airport. Since its launch, more than 40 local businesses have graduated and several have earned places in the airport’s concessions programmes as joint-venture partners with larger firms or as direct operators of concessions.
Showcasing local excellence
The three IOC graduates participating in the travel essentials retail are part of an incubator programme led by joint-venture partner Love From USA, a 100% airport certified disadvantaged business enterprise (ACDBE).
Love from USA will also operate a specialty retail store, Love From New York. Additional joint-venture partners include New York-based C&E Global Solutions and On-Site Retailers Inc. based in Baltimore. The next business outreach event is scheduled for 23 July to increase the local product supplier pipeline for the New Terminal One.
WHSmith North America CEO Huw Crwys-Williams said: “We are incredibly honoured for this opportunity to be able to collaborate with Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, New Terminal One, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey on this project. With the opening of these new concepts inside the highly anticipated New Terminal One at John F. Kennedy International Airport, WHSmith North America is marking another milestone in the travel retail space.”
He added: “We are incredibly thankful for the continued support of our ACDBE partners C&E Global Solutions, On-Site Retailers and Love from USA JFK, who have been, and will be, instrumental in the development and execution of our new venture together.”
“As a proud graduate of the Institute of Concessions, I am honoured to be part of the winning team selected for New Terminal One at JFK Airport. Participating in a successful request for proposal (RFP) process so soon after completing the programme is both humbling and inspiring,” said Amerrah Brown, Founder and CEO of Beautiful Amore Skincare. “I am deeply grateful for the mentorship provided by Love from USA, WHSmith North America and URW that created the foundation for my success. I am excited to showcase the diversity and spirit of New York through authentic, community-rooted offerings for travellers.”
“Bringing Love From New York to JFK’s Terminal One is a true honour,” said Patricia Chinander, the CEO, Founder and Owner of Love From USA Group. “New York is more than a destination, it’s a feeling, a rhythm, a story that belongs to the city and the state.
“From the energy of the boroughs to the charm of upstate, we’re proud to showcase the makers, artists, and small businesses that make New York so extraordinary. Every product on our shelves is chosen with care to give travellers a genuine taste of the people and places that define this incredible state. It’s our way of saying, ‘This is New York,’ and we’re proud to share it with the world.”
The retail concepts include:
WHSmith Travel Essentials: Curated essentials alongside an expansive library of titles, including New York Times bestsellers, magazines and global publications. Open 24 hours a day, the store is designed to mix “convenience and cultural enrichment”.
The Canopy: Located in the pre-security departures area, this store and its theme will reflect the vibrant energy of New York through a selection of high-quality luggage and accessories that include premium brands such as Herschel and Tumi.
The Queens Borough Market: This market for travel essentials celebrates New York’s architecture and soaring skylines in a space that “blends industrial design with natural textures, evoking the city’s structures and the sense of movement and flight”.
Skybound by WHSmith: This proprietary brand will provide “a reimagined take on the traditional travel store through a nod to New York’s drama and glamour”.
The Last Stop: Strategically positioned at the level 1 bus gate in the departures area, this store’s design will “mirror the nostalgic view through a window of a New York City subway car” and offer core travel essentials in a setting that channels the city’s underground transit system.
Las Artes Mercado: Located on the arrivals level, Las Artes Mercado will “blend New York fashion with the practicality of a modern bodega”, offering travel essentials and an expanded grocery selection. ✈
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