Major Changes on the Horizon for Retail and Concessions at WRWA
Will Rogers World Airport and Paradies Lagardère introduce new retail store and restaurant plan, offering both local and national icons
Oklahoma City, February 8, 2021 - Will Rogers World Airport and award-winning airport concessionaire Paradies Lagardère, with approval of the Oklahoma City Airport Trust, announce plans to redefine the traveler experience with an array of new retail stores and restaurants. The vision for this effort, originally unveiled through a competitive request for proposals, will deliver 17 new concepts that offer travelers iconic national brands and also established local favorites from the community.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the timeline to unveil the full program will be altered across different phases proportionate to returning passenger levels. Each location will be assessed and executed in a responsible and sustainable manner.
“With this exciting new concession program, nationally recognized brands are expected to come online close to the opening of the Terminal Expansion later this year. Local brands will become available as air travel recovers,” said Mark Kranenburg, Director of Airports. “With the implementation of this new program, we are confident that retail and dining at WRWA will be better than it’s ever been.”
Currently at WRWA, Paradies Lagardère is operating several proprietary brands. Tuk Tuk Go is a unique and decorative concept offering a fresh, wide assortment of grab and go offerings. Two full-service restaurant/bar concepts are also available, The Grill at OKC and OKC Flight Cantina.
This summer expect the opening of a Tripadvisor retail store, transforming the world’s largest travel website into an energetic travel essentials location. Vino Volo Craft will showcase the airport wine brand’s evolution by offering its award-winning wine program alongside a new selection of inspired craft cocktails.
The iconic Starbucks is planned to open in the Fall as will Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steak Burgers, which has dozens of popular locations across Oklahoma City and was voted to Forbes’ 2019 “America’s Best Franchises” list.
As travel returns, the airport and Paradies Lagardère, with its business partners Kamber’s at the Airport, LLC, and Plenty Mercantile, LLC, look forward to properly scheduling the remaining lineup of eclectic, exciting locations:
Restaurants
- Elemental Coffee Café, the popular community-driven, small-batch roastery and cafe
- Hatch, Oklahoma City’s next-level breakfast destination
- Osteria, the restaurant and craft bar dedicated classic Italian cuisine
- Tropical Smoothie Café, serving incredible smoothies and wholesome food options
Retail Stores
- Plenty Mercantile, the local gift store that champions sustainability and hospitality
- Tin Lizzie’s, offering a crafted selection of Oklahoma-owned boutiques, artisans and makers
- Oklahoma’s Own News 9 Travel Essentials, showcasing the iconic KWTV News 9
- Corsa featuring Brighton and SPANX, offers top fashion and accessories for any traveler
- iStore Express, the quick stop for the best tech accessories on the market
“The improvements at Will Rogers have been nothing short of extraordinary the last two decades, and the vision presented here by Paradies Lagardère reflects that evolution,” said Mayor David Holt. “We’re America’s 25th-largest city, we have unique retail, drink and food options, and they deserve to be highlighted at our airport, which is our city’s front door. From the very beginning of this process, Paradies Lagardère prioritized the concept of highlighting unique local offerings, and I’m delighted with the work they’ve put into it. The concession plan they are advancing will be a love letter to Oklahoma City, and that’s exactly what we deserve. We look forward to this partnership.”
“We greatly appreciate our long-standing partnership with Will Rogers World Airport and applaud their forward-thinking efforts in evolving their overall concessions program to reflect the new reality of today and the future,” said Gregg Paradies, President and CEO of Paradies Lagardère. “We are confident that our offering of exciting local and national concepts will exceed the expectations of OKC travelers.”
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Click here for Tuk Tuk Go images and other conceptual renderings
Will Rogers World Airport (OKC) is Oklahoma City’s commercial airport and accommodated over 4.4 million travelers in 2019 (record year). The airport is currently served by seven air carriers with an average of 42 daily departures to 15 destinations. Historical passenger traffic data for OKC can be found at: www.flyokc.com/news-statistics
Paradies Lagardère specializes in unique shopping and dining experiences in airports. We offer a diverse mix of retail offerings including fashion, luxury, electronics, convenience, sports, luggage, jewelry, and souvenirs. Our dining program includes high-end restaurants, quick-serve and casual restaurants, and quality bars, including local, national and international brands. For more information, visit www.paradieslagardere.com, and find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.