Two joint ventures led by premier travel retailer Hudson Group have been selected by the City of Dallas in a recent competitive bid process to provide both retail and food services in the newly renovated Dallas Love Field Airport (DAL).
The award ranges over eight retail and two food & beverage packages and includes: three newsstands, a bookstore, 11 specialty retail concepts and five food & beverage locations, totaling nearly 16,000 sq. ft.
The winning brands and concepts will all be "distinctly Dallas," in line with the RFP's stated preference for local themes and concepts.
Renee Dutia, principal and founder of Regali, Inc., one of the joint venture partners, is a Dallas-based businesswoman who specializes in providing tailored support services to public and private customers like the City of Dallas, DFW International Airport, American Airlines and Texas Instruments.
"As a local partner familiar with the city, Regali's main contribution to this RFP response was to suggest ways to showcase Dallas as the exciting destination that it is," says Ms. Dutia.
"I think that our affection for our hometown comes through, with concepts, brands and merchandise that are 'distinctly Dallas'."
The result: newsstands with names like West End News and CNN Newsstand – Dallas, alongside national brands like Hudson News and Hudson Booksellers.
On the specialty retail side, there are shops representing more local businesses and attractions, including Fair Park TX, Billy Bob's Texas, Mallasadi menswear, and Famous Texas Boots. Additional specialty concepts will include Desigual women's wear, Tech on the Go, Travel + Leisure, Spectacles, Bliss, Soybu and Fire CZ.
Local award-winning eatery Jason's Deli will make its airport debut in one large restaurant, while Dunkin' Donuts, Baskin Robbins, and a new grab-and-go concept called "Texpress Gourmet" will offer coffee and snacks in several locations to travelers in a hurry.
"Our joint venture team is delighted with this award and grateful for the opportunity to continue providing unparalleled service to the employees and travelers of Dallas Love Field, where we have operated for the past 18 years," notes Joe DiDomizio, President & CEO of Hudson Group.
Mark Duebner, Interim Director of Aviation, City of Dallas, says, "Dallas Love Field looks forward to continuing our successful partnership with Hudson Group."
Hudson Group, the largest duty-paid travel retailer in North America, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of international duty-free travel retailer Dufry AG of Basel, Switzerland. The company operates some 650 Hudson News, Hudson Booksellers, cafes, specialty retail and duty free shops in 70 airports and transportation terminals in the United States and Canada, and additional newsstands in 12 more countries around the world.