Tucson International Airport, Arizona, is revamping its retail and restaurant offerings, issuing contracts for outlets that are more reflective of the local community. Existing operators will close by the end of February 2017, with construction for the new concessions starting in March, to be completed in phases throughout the year.
Among the new food and beverage options will be local brand names, including Beyond Bread, El Charro Café, The Maverick, Noble Hops, Sir Veza’s Taco Garage, Thunder Canyon Brewery and Arbuckle’s Coffee. These will sit alongside growing national brands, including Bruegger’s Bagels, BUILT Custom Burger, Dunkin’ Donuts and Pie Five Pizza.
The retail concepts will be redesigned and themed in line with iconic cultural influences of the Tucson region, with traditional mercado (market) and tienditas (small stores). Travel essentials and newsstand items will be available, as will local souvenirs, jewelry and sporting goods. A new agreement will be in place that items sold at the airport shops must be priced the same as at another outlet elsewhere in the city.
Commenting on the new openings, Bonnie Allin, president and CEO of the Tucson Airport Authority, said, “Travel has changed with the new security requirements, and passengers are spending more time in airports looking for things to do. This is the airport’s opportunity to showcase the many things that are unique to the southern Arizona region.”
Conceptual renderings can be found here.
