NORWAY. Oslo Airport recently opened nine new retail units and three food & beverage outlets, with more to follow throughout the year.
The openings are part of a NOK14 billion (US$1.66 billion) development programme at the airport, which will lift capacity to 28 million passengers a year. A grand opening event will take place on 27 April, to be attended by Norway’s King Harald V and Queen Sonja.
Watches and jewellery specialist Thune has opened a larger outlet near Gate E9. Way-Nor has set up a pop-up shop opposite, selling Norwegian souvenirs and gifts.
Source (all images): Avinor Oslo airport
As reported, Travel Retail Norway has unveiled its second Travel Value Fashion store. It features a Kate Spade shop-in-shop.
Airport Retail Group has opened three different fashion concepts: Æra Women, Æra Men and Æra Active. Æra Active offers sports clothes including the Norrøna and Bergans brands.
TING offers a range of Norwegian and Scandinavian design products, while a second Tanum bookshop is located at the North Pier in International Departures.
One of the highlights of the F&B openings is SSP’s Norgesglasset bar in the domestic section of the North Pier. Around 4,800 ‘Norgesglass’ (or Norway glass – a classic Norwegian version of the Kilner jar) have been used to construct the ceiling, and most of the menu items are served in Norgesglass vessels.
“The introduction of Norgesglasset revolutionised food storage in Norway, and we are pleased to present a little piece of Norwegian history and pride,” said SSP’s Morten Solberg Nilsen.
“We are happy to fill the Norgesglass with beverages based on Norwegian nature. Most of the menu items will be served in a Norgesglass and presented in an appetising way with a modern twist. The bar itself is quite unique, easy on the eye as well as the mind.”
In addition to drinks, Norgesglasset will also serve light seasonal meals.
SSP said the concept was built around the use of the Norgesglass from old times to the present day. “It is a common noun for glass jars used for canning, pickling and other forms of preservation. The jar is threaded, with a glass lid, a rubber washer and an aluminium ring which is tightened. This shuts the lid firmly, making the jar completely airtight. When the jar is filled with warm jam, negative pressure is created during cooling, making the seal even tighter. The contents can also be secured against exposure by adding a cap of melted wax.”
Other recent F&B openings are Northland, which serves sourdough baguettes, and BIT, which offers salads, sandwiches and pastries. Both are located at the North Pier in International Departures.
“The shopping experience has vastly improved with a much greater range of well-known brands, from Missoni, Max Mara Weekend and Kate Spade to Norrøna, Bergans and Fjällräven,” commented Avinor Oslo Airport Commercial Director Torgeir Kjos Sørensen.
“With regard to eateries, we are proud to present BIT and Northland, which will fit in well with our imminent total portfolio of 37 food outlets at Oslo Airport.”
Travel Retail Norway has already opened a Heinemann Duty Free Arrivals shop at the airport. At 4,000sq m when completed in April (3,500sq m in the first-phase opening, compared with 1,750sq m for its predecessor), the store is the largest duty free Arrivals shop in the world.
Travel Retail Norway and Gebr. Heinemann have also partnered for the opening of two new Departures duty free stores. The first, in a 2,400sq m space at the North Terminal, opened in December. It has initially replaced the airport’s old Departures store, which is being refurbished and will reopen in March with 350sq m of extra space. The 2,200sq m store will bring the total duty free space in Departures to 4,600sq m.
Avinor noted that the fast opening of retail and F&B outlets necessitated a significant degree of building work.
“We are near to achieving our goal and we will be opening many fantastic shops during 2017. We are very pleased about this and hope that all passengers are happy that shopping and culinary experiences at the airport are improving”, said Oslo Airport Managing Director Øyvind Hasaas.
