USA. Baltimore/Washington International (BWI) Thurgood Marshall Airport has unveiled three new food & beverage and retail outlets with a local flavour, which anchor its new Concourse A extension.
The three new units – introduced by Fraport Maryland, developer and manager of the retail programme at the airport – are well-known regional F&B brands Miss Shirley’s Café and R&R Seafood Bar, and District Market, which sells products including Maryland’s Otterbein’s Cookies.
The 616sq ft District Market store features travel essentials including health and beauty products, tech accessories, snacks, gifts and more. Sense of Place products on offer in the store also include t-shirts, hats, sweatshirts and keepsakes.
The District Market concept is well-proven in the travel marketplace, with established outlets at US airports including New York LaGuardia and San Francisco International.
Meanwhile, Miss Shirley’s Café is making its debut as an airport brand in a 2,100sq ft space. It is a local family-owned restaurant chain serving breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner and snacks.
Miss Shirley’s specialities are rooted in Southern-inspired fare with a focus on fresh ingredients from the Chesapeake Bay area. Signature items include Spicy Shirley, Fried Green Tomatoes, Shrimp & Grits, Chicken & Waffles, Griddle Cakes, Three Egg Omelettes, plus soups, salads and sandwiches.
R&R Seafood Bar – which specialises in Chesapeake Bay seafood – has opened its second location at the airport. Its signature offers include Obrycki’s crab cake, raw oysters and the Crabby Mary cocktail.
The new outlet is located near six departure gates, with the restaurant and bar offering counter seating for 47 guests in 1,830sq ft of space.
Fraport Maryland Vice President Gary Gilliard said: “We are thrilled to welcome these delightful additions to BWI Marshall Airport. Despite the delays this past year due to the pandemic, seeing Miss Shirley’s new café, a beautiful R&R Seafood Bar and District Market now open for passengers makes all the difference. The response has been very positive.”
BWI Executive Director/CEO Ricky Smith said: “These iconic brands give our guests a taste of what the Baltimore/Washington region has to offer. It’s a testament to our commitment to enhance the passenger experience by bringing more local flavour to our programme and all our retail, food and service offerings at the airport.”
