Cool Gadgets, Comfortable Shoes Add to Specialty Retail at the AIRMALL(R) at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport

CLEVELAND, March 30 /PRNewswire/ -- The very latest electronic gadgets and cool, casual shoes are now available to passengers at the new AIRMALL® at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE).  BAA Cleveland, developer of the new AIRMALL®, is pleased to announce the addition of national retailers Crocs and BluWire to the ever-expanding specialty retail program at the airport.  Both units opened their doors earlier this month.  

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With comfortable, lightweight and versatile footwear for men, women and children, Crocs offers a variety of colors and styles suitable for casual or recreational use. Crocs (730 sq. ft.) is located in Concourse C.

BluWire enables travelers to stay connected with wireless accessories and electronic gadgets by putting travelers' needs first.  The store's environment encourages hands-on interaction and offers a wide array of devices for entertainment and business.  The new unit (700 sq. ft.) is located in Concourse D.

"When we began developing the new AIRMALL® at CLE, one of our primary goals was to dramatically enhance the specialty retail program," said Tina LaForte, vice president of BAA Cleveland.  "We have already christened a new and expanded Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum Store, and we've added Taxco Sterling as a high-quality jeweler.  This most recent addition of BluWire and Crocs will give travelers even more shopping options, all at 'Regular Mall Prices...Guaranteed.'"

"Passengers at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport are quickly becoming accustomed to the notion that their airport will soon become the benchmark by which all others are judged when it comes to quality concessions," added Airport Director Ricky Smith. "We are pleased to welcome these two respected brands to the program."  

Now in its second year of development, the new AIRMALL® at CLE will occupy 76,000 square feet of retail space when it is completed in 2010.  The enhanced concessions program is also expected to double the current participation rate of local and minority-owned companies, dramatically increase the number of concession jobs, and double retail sales figures during the next decade.  

About BAA Cleveland

BAA Cleveland, Inc. is the developer and manager of the retail and concessions program at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE).  In 2008, BAA entered into a ten-year contract with the City of Cleveland to transform the retail, food and beverage concessions into the AIRMALL® at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, a strategic combination of well-known national brands and high-quality local concepts offered at "Regular Mall Prices...Guaranteed."  BAA Cleveland is a project of BAA USA, the developer and manager of the retail, food and beverage operations at the AIRMALLs® at Pittsburgh International Airport, Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, and Boston Logan International Airport (Terminals B and E).  BAA USA is an affiliate of BAA Limited, the world's leading airport company, which owns and operates six UK airports (Heathrow, Stansted, Southampton, Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow).  For more information, visit www.airmall.com or www.baausa.com.

SOURCE BAA Cleveland