Hudson, a Dufry company and travel experience leader with more than 1,000 stores in airports, commuter hubs, landmarks and tourist destinations across North America, revealed its reimagined retail portfolio at Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM).
As part of a seven-year contract extension, Hudson transformed four of its existing retail spaces in BHM into locally themed stores and introduced a new specialty brand Automated Retail unit.
With a footprint of more than 5,000 square feet, these new concepts honor Alabama’s culture and important place in American history while creating a brand experience uniquely positioned for the airport and its more than 2.5 million annual travelers.
Hudson officially unveiled the new stores during a ribbon-cutting celebration on August 24, with Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin; Lee Sentell; photographer for The Official U.S. Civil Rights Trail Book, Art Meripol; and other prominent community leaders in attendance.
The new stores are located throughout concourses A and C, and the Automated Retail unit is affixed to Hudson’s other travel convenience store, Hudson Vulcan. Several stores offer self-checkout registers.
Travelers will find an assortment of products made in Alabama throughout Hudson’s retail offerings. This also includes a long-standing partnership with local Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) Partner Irmatean Watson, Inc.
The stores include:
Civil Rights Trail Market by Hudson: In a first-of-its-kind concept, this travel convenience store pays homage to the historic civil rights movement and the U.S. Civil Rights Trail. Through a partnership with Lee Sentell, author of "The Official U.S. Civil Rights Trail: What Happened Here Changed The World," the storefront dons an official timeline and powerful imagery of the national and local civil rights movements.
Magic City Market by Hudson: The store’s product selection boasts local offerings ranging from “The Magic City” branded apparel to food products produced in Birmingham, in addition to travel essentials and electronics from Apple, Bose, Brookstone, and other leading brands.
Sweet Home Alabama by Hudson has offerings across the categories of Media, Essentials, and Marketplace in addition to Destinations, which provides a distinctly Birmingham shopping experience with Sweet Home Alabama products.
Alabama Sports Connection offers sports memorabilia and apparel, with a large selection of branded merchandise from universities in the surrounding area, including Miles College, Samford University, and UAB: The University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Automated Retail: Redefining the traditional vending experience, Automated Retail is a 24/7 specialty retail brand destination specifically tailored to the local market. Automated Retail at BHM features accessories from Happy Socks, and furry friends wearing University of Alabama apparel in an Automated Teddy Machine from Build-A-Bear Workshop.
