US. Marshall Retail Group has marked the opening of its Gotham News concept at New York LaGuardia Terminal B with a striking custom-built art installation.
Gotham News, located in the Western Concourse, offers a mix of locally-sourced products, snacks, and travel essentials with a New York flavour. Brands include Brooklyn Roasting Company, Hal’s Seltzer Water and Chips, Coney Island Popcorn, Bobbie Sue’s Nuts and Astor Chocolates.
“Gotham News surpasses the traditional newsstand concept on multiple levels by enhancing the overall social experience with the New York community,” said Marshall Retail Group Chief Executive Officer Michael C. Wilkins. “Marshall Retail Group is thrilled to connect travellers and locals to the heart, spirit, and ingenuity of New Yorkers in a cosmopolitan shopping environment.”
LaGuardia Gateway Partners Chief Executive Officer Stewart Steeves added, “We’re thrilled to be opening the first half of the Western Concourse of Terminal B, as we complete another phase in the overall redevelopment project.
“Marshall Retail Group’s Gotham News in the new concourse goes beyond the traditional newsstand and will provide passengers with an exciting variety of offerings, ensuring that guests are equipped with everything they need as they travel to their final destinations. We’re grateful for their continued partnership throughout this project.”
To celebrate the opening, Marshall Retail Group has partnered with renowned graffiti artist Jonathan ‘Meres One’ Cohen to create an artwork called ‘A Queens Tribute.’ The eight-foot tall installation can be found in the rear exterior of the Gotham News store and features a bold three-lettered ‘LGA’ mural, that honours the city’s most recognisable historical and cultural landmarks.
The ‘L’ paints a picture of the New York Pavilion from the 1964 World Fair, the ‘G’ pays homage to the Queens Subway Line, while the ‘A’ depicts the Unisphere, Shea Stadium and the 59th Street Bridge. The letters LGA also represent LaGuardia Airport.
The one-of-a-kind artwork is a joyful celebration of New York’s cultural milestones and the diverse community of Queens. It welcomes arriving passengers on LaGuardia’s tarmac and can be seen through the terminal’s floor-to-ceiling windows.
Cohen said that the installation represents his childhood growing up in Queens. He said, “To a graffiti writer every wall or piece is a page of a diary, so this is truly an intimate journey from my childhood to adulthood with Queens as a backdrop. I hope that arriving travellers will want to explore, while natives stand proud and smile contemplating the visual wealth in Queens. In both cases, it is an invitation to explore!”
Marshall Retail Group also operates The Scoop at LaGuardia, a one-stop convenience store with local products and travel essentials.
As reported, the retailer recently opened the Bowery Bay Shops and The Dean at LaGuardia Terminal B. The Bowery Bay shops offers an array of leading brands in an immersive space inspired by New York’s architectural grandeur and cultural diversity. The Dean is a fashion emporium offering products and services aimed at the business traveller.
