Some of the city’s most popular retail shops — from Two Old Hippies to Project 615 — have signed letters of intent to open outposts at the airport under a major overhaul of its concessions operation, according to the Airport Authority.
Airport executives hope the new retail lineup will help transform the airport into more of a shopping hub for tourists and locals alike, encouraging travelers to spend their layovers or pre-flight down time shopping for Nashville confections, Tennessee-branded goods and clothing from local boutiques.
“The number one goal is for all guests who arrive to Nashville to experience the true Nashville at the airport,” said Ben Zandi, president of Fraport, the German firm awarded the new Nashville airport concessions contract. “Number two is to improve their dwell time because now this is a really cool place to hang out, shop, listen to music, record your own music, go listen to live entertainment, shop with local vendors on the retail side, shop with local vendors on the food and beverage side.”
Lease negotiations are still underway, and letters of intent don’t always translate into signed deals, but the preliminary list of retailers planned for the airport includes chains such as Sunglass Hut and James Avery jewelry, plus an impressive roster of local businesses.
Planned airport businesses include Project 615, Parnassus, Two Old Hippies
Local retailers on the list of anticipated businesses include Project 615, White’s Mercantile, Goo Goo Store, Parnassus Books and Two Old Hippies. Reese Witherspoon’s popular 12South boutique, Draper James, is also on the list.
The new concessions program will include roughly 90 new locations of food and beverage, retail, passenger services, news, gifts and amenities, according to the Airport Authority. Development of the new concessions will start this year and continue through early 2023.
Source: The Tennessean