Hudson expands duty paid and duty free operations at Boston Logan Airport
Renderings of duty free stores at Boston Logan International Airport
Dufry-owned Hudson has announced its plans to transform the duty paid and duty free offerings at Boston Logan International Airport (BOS).
According to the company, Hudson has signed a new 12-year duty free contract with the airport and has also received a 3-year extension for its duty paid concessions. Its expansion plan involves introducing a locally inspired, globally relevant concessions portfolio to the Boston airport consisting of eight new duty paid and eight duty free stores in 2023 and 2024.
The Destination 2027 strategy will touch every part of Hudson’s new operations at BOS, grounded in a vision to lead a travel retail revolution. This means stores that represent the community, from local products to local partners; omnichannel digital innovation that engages travelers throughout their entire journey; world-class brands from Hudson’s and Dufry’s nationally and globally recognized portfolios; and service and operational excellence that can’t be found anywhere else.
In the new stores, and throughout Hudson’s existing operations at BOS, travelers will have the ability to experience frictionless payment options like self-checkout and mobile POS, pre-ordering for duty free through Reserve & Collect, exclusive benefits and savings with the Red By Dufry loyalty program, and/or other cutting-edge technology innovations.
“The duty paid extension and new duty free contract reflect the shared commitment of Hudson, Massport, and MarketPlace Development to elevate the travel experience and create a concessions portfolio that is not only tailored to the diverse passenger profile of each Terminal but also reflects the rich culture and history of the city,” said Brian Quinn, Executive Vice President and Deputy CEO of Hudson. “Our new stores will showcase Hudson’s ability to offer unique shopping experiences while setting the standard for the future of travel retail.”
Massport Aviation Director Ed Freni added, “Dufry and Hudson have been terrific partners to us at Logan Airport as we strive to constantly improve and enhance the passenger experience. Every day, we welcome thousands of visitors to New England to enjoy everything the region has to offer. Concessions play an important role in a passenger’s journey and the customer service and vast offerings these companies provide enrich the overall travel experience for those arriving at and departing from Boston.”
Michael DiCosola, President, MarketPlace Development, said, “Offering passengers innovative and engaging experiences while shopping iconic and local favorites continues to be very important to us here at Boston Logan. We are excited to see that Hudson has the ability to offer these unique retail options, making the airport experience even more enjoyable for the passenger throughout their travel journey.”
The new stores will be operated in partnership with Hudson’s longstanding Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) Partners in BOS: Branded Works Inc., KELLEE Communications Group, Inc., NIA Corporation, and Saxon Ventures LLC.
A “Glo-cal” Approach To Duty Free
Sprawling across an expansive 23,000-square-feet of retail space, Hudson has crafted a world-class duty free experience of global brands infused with local flavor.
Terminals A, B, and C will have a duty free store where both domestic and international travelers can shop. International travelers will be able to take home the best selection of alcohol and tobacco as well as cosmetics and fragrances, while domestic travelers can purchase any products other than alcohol and tobacco.
Terminal E, which is only for international travelers, will offer five distinctive duty free shops including an immersive 11,000 square foot walk-through store.
The Connoisseur Collection – the first of its kind in any U.S. airport – will be an intimate drinking lounge and shop, inspired by Boston’s rich heritage of whisky clubs and the vibrant history of the Rowes Wharf trading port. It will offer travelers a tasting bar and discovery table, a walk-in humidor for cigars and cigarillos, travel retail exclusives from Balvenie, Chivas Regal, and Dewar’s, special bottles from The Macallan and Rémy Martin’s Louis XIII, and a “World of Whiskies” wall.
Three boutique-inspired shops, similar to those on Boston’s iconic Newbury Street, will be spread out throughout the Terminal, each with a different assortment of products. One store will be devoted exclusively to luxury skincare and cosmetics, featuring fragrances Les Exclusifs de Chanel and La Collection Privée Christian Dior. Another will feature the classic duty free offerings of international liquor, fine wines, spirits, and tobacco along with a standalone Johnnie Walker section.
The third store will bring makeup, haircare, and skincare brands like Clinique, Estée Lauder, and Lancôme together with premium eyewear, confection, and local souvenirs. Included in this will be a virtual try-on for sunglasses, a “Mind, Body & Soul” wellness shop-in-shop, and an Haute Perfumery space dedicated to prestigious fragrance houses like Creed, Diptyque, and Parfums de Marly.
Complementing the individual duty free stores will be the walk-through concept – a mixed-used space that will truly heighten and excite all senses. Every detail of the open concept was chosen with intention, from the entrance gateways mirroring the cable-stayed Zakim Memorial Bridge to the use of artistic renditions of tree canopies as a tribute to the Emerald Necklace of green spaces found throughout the city. The perfect finishing touch will be an inlaid floor feature that will serve as a wayfinder, guiding travelers through different shopping zones similar to Boston’s Freedom Trail.
Four shopping zones will make up the store’s interior, inspired by two of Boston’s most iconic neighborhoods: Back Bay and Jamaica Plain.
For Back Bay, Hudson designed two zones that will bring to life the luxury of Newbury Street and the beauty of the secret Rose Garden. In these zones, travelers will find an array of the world’s most prestigious beauty, makeup, perfume, and fragrance brands like Chanel, Clarins, Drunk Elephant, ELEMIS, Giorgio Armani Beauty, Kérastase, Kylie Cosmetics, Lancôme, Shiseido, Sol de Janeiro, and Yves Saint Laurent as well as rotating pop-up shops. The fragrance section will be anchored by a mixology bar, where perfume lovers can use their smartphones to create and take home their own unique scents. For makeup aficionados, a dynamic color playground and interactive magic mirrors will help them discover their perfect shade and enjoy a virtual makeover.
Jamaica Plain, a diverse, tight-knit neighborhood with serene greenspaces, will serve as the inspiration for the second half of the store, complete with two distinct zones – The Three Squares, representing the neighborhood’s Hyde, Jackson, and Egleston Squares, and The Arboretum, named after the arboretum of Harvard University.
Built like a local marketplace, travelers can browse a curated collection of watches, jewelry, and sunglasses, as well as an extensive selection of products made in or inspired by the city of Boston. This will include sweets and treats from local brands like Cabot’s Candy, Harbor Sweets, Q’s Nuts, Taza Chocolate, and other local vendors. In addition, Hudson’s exclusive “Exploring Boston” brand line will offer travelers confectionary, souvenirs, apparel, and accessories with custom Boston designs from award-winning American artist Kirsten Ulve.
To deliver a true taste of place, Hudson has also put together an expansive selection of local wines and liquor made in the U.S. From classic American liquor companies to local wineries found throughout New England, travelers will be able to sample, taste, and discover new brands in addition to taking home a bottle of their go-to favorites. This will include spirits from Boston Harbor Distillery, High West Distillery, Mt. Pleasant Club Whiskey, and Uncle Nearest, as well as pre-mixed cocktails to go from NIO.
Bringing Together Local Know-How With Excellence In Duty Paid Retailing
With offerings across travel convenience, specialty retail, and F&B, Hudson’s new duty paid stores will showcase a broad assortment of best-in-class brands, innovative technology, and local influence – a true love letter to the historic city of Boston.
BOS will become home to not one, but two Hudson Nonstop stores. The first Hudson Nonstop store will be located in Terminal E while the second location in Terminal C will be connected to Evolve, Hudson’s innovative travel convenience and specialty retail concept. Both Hudson Nonstop stores will allow travelers a fast and frictionless way to pick up their must-have essentials, food and beverage products, and local favorites, and then exit, all without stopping to pay.
In addition to Hudson Nonstop and Evolve, Hudson will open two additional combination concepts, a testament to its success in blending its iconic travel convenience offering with other core categories. In the B/C Connector, Hudson will introduce a combination Hudson and Dunkin’ concept, and in Terminal E, Hudson will open a hybrid Hudson and F&B marketplace. There will also be a standalone Hudson store in the B/C Connector.
Hudson’s self-checkout will be available at each of the new travel convenience stores so travelers never have to wait, and team members can spend more time serving travelers.
