Sep. 13—WINDSOR LOCKS — Connecticut's flagship airport continues to expand its dining and retail offerings, as highlighted by the recent arrival of the world's largest coffeehouse chain and several upcoming openings.
Starbucks opened on Aug.17 a store in Bradley International Airport's airside lobby — an addition that responded to significant customer demand, according to officials at the Connecticut Airport Authority, which owns and operates the Windsor Locks-based Bradley.
"The highly anticipated opening of Starbucks at Bradley International Airport addresses a long-standing request from passengers, and the response has been overwhelmingly positive," CAA Executive Director Kevin Dillon said in a written statement. "Offering a more diverse range of dining options enhances the overall travel experience and contributes to a more enjoyable journey for our passengers."
Among similarly focused offerings, Dunkin' has operated at Bradley since 2007. But Dillon said that, "having both Starbucks and Dunkin' at Bradley International Airport provides passengers with options, allowing them to find their favorite beverage and food items from two well-known brands."
A message left for Starbucks was not returned. Among other Connecticut locations, Starbucks opened last month its third store in Bridgeport. Within the next couple of months, it is expected to open a store at The SoNo Collection in Norwalk.
In addition, airport concessionaire Paradies Lagardère will upgrade in the coming months its six retail establishments at Bradley — a roster that includes two CNBC stores, two New England Travel Marts, one iStore and one Avanti Marketplace. The New England Travel Mart that is adjacent to the iStore will be rebranded to Charter Oak Emporium, and it is expected to open this fall.
Early next year, Paradies Lagardère plans to launch Beercode Kitchen & Bar at Bradley.
The recent and upcoming retail and dining openings highlight the post-pandemic revival of Bradley, which has added a number of routes in the past couple of years. In the first six months of this year, a total of about 3.1 million passengers passed through the airport — up 13 percent from the same period in 2022, but down 7 percent from the same timeframe in 2019.
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