Philadelphia Marketplace Food & Shops Celebrates 10th Anniversary at PHL

PHILADELPHIA , May 27 /PRNewswire/ -- As one of the country's premiere airport food and retail programs, the Philadelphia Marketplace has now enjoyed a decade of serving passengers at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL). This June, the Philadelphia Marketplace will celebrate its past and look forward to the future with special events, contests, giveaways and more.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080527/NETU051 )

Anniversary Happenings

The Philadelphia Marketplace's merchants will be honored during a cocktail reception on Wednesday, June 4 at the Airport Marriott. Special recognition will be given to those merchants who have been with the Food & Shops family for the past ten years.

"Our merchants have been the key to our success over the past decade," said Anna DiGregorio , Director of Marketing for the Philadelphia Marketplace Food & Shops. "They work hard every day to make each passenger's experience at PHL a great one. In fact, our airport was ranked number one in customer satisfaction among large airports by J.D. Power and Associates."

Airport travelers will enjoy a Fashion Show on Friday, June 6 at 2 p.m. in the B/C Connector with food and giveaways to celebrate ten years of the food and shops program. The highlight of the event will be the "runway" fashion show featuring the latest in clothing, accessories and luggage from Philadelphia Marketplace retailers. Passengers in attendance will receive a limited-edition 10th Anniversary tote bag made of recycled materials, perfect for a carry-on or shopping bag (while supplies last).

Throughout the month of June, merchants will offer special discounts in honor of the Philadelphia Marketplace's 10th anniversary. And, one lucky passenger will win a $1,000 shopping spree at the Philadelphia Marketplace by entering online at http://www.philamarketplace.com (Contest runs June 1-30 ; no purchase necessary).

A Look Back

The Philadelphia Marketplace success story starts in the 1990s, when the City of Philadelphia decided to upgrade its shopping and dining offerings in conjunction with the remodel and expansion of terminals B and C. PHL partnered with MarketPlace Redwood L.P. to manage the airport's food and shops program, and the Philadelphia Marketplace Food & Shops opened June 4, 1998 with 19 retailers in the new B/C Connector, making a total of 67 merchants throughout the airport.

Ten years later, those 67 stores became more than 160 shops, restaurants and services, and over the past decade, MarketPlace Redwood has redeveloped the 135,000 square-foot retail space that today spans the airport's seven terminals. In 2001, the new regional terminal F opened with 10,000 square feet of stores and eateries. The retail development of International Terminal A West was completed in 2003, offering passengers 21,000 additional square feet of food and shops.

The Philadelphia Marketplace is focused on maintaining a line-up of national favorites while also showcasing local retailers and restaurants, giving passengers a uniquely Philadelphia experience.

"MarketPlace Redwood has done a superb job in making Philadelphia International one of the best airports in the country for shopping, eating, and finding passenger-friendly amenities," said Charles Isdell , the City's Acting Director of Aviation. "We congratulate MarketPlace on its successes in the past 10 years and its contributions in making PHL one of America's best airports."

New in 2008

Adding to the diverse food and retail mix at PHL this year are several new locations:

Coming soon, Dunkin' Donuts will open a full-service restaurant in Concourse D, joining the company's beverage kiosk that opened last summer at the top of Concourse B.

Vino Volo, which opened May 22 , is an upscale lounge, restaurant and tasting bar, offering passengers a relaxing place to pass time between flights with a glass of red or white.