Dec. 13--Get some fizz with your flight at Tulsa International Airport.
Tulsa International will be home to the Tulsa area's first Pops store, famous for its Route 66 landmark sporting myriad flavors of carbonated beverages.
Airport concessions vendor Paradies said it plans to replace its Novel Idea bookstore near Concourse A with a Pops-licensed convenience store.
Pops is a famous soda beverage retailer in Arcadia, just outside Oklahoma City.
That store carries more than 600 soda flavors. The store and restaurant opened in 2007 with candy, burgers and a dozen cases full of unique beverages such as Freaky Dog Watermelon, Melba's Fixins Key Lime Pie and Virgil's Bavarian Nutmeg Root Beer Swing Top.
The Pops at Tulsa International will be much smaller, with a more limited selection than the home base in Arcadia, but will still feature dozens of unique soda flavors from all over the planet.
"The Pops people are excited to be in Tulsa," said Tim Thornton, general manager of Paradies-Novel Idea LLC.
The 1,072-square-foot store will feature soda, as well as candy, snacks and other goods for fliers.
Like the Arcadia store, the Tulsa airport Pops will have a front wall of color soda bottles.
Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City also features an airport version of a Pops store. Pops' only full-service location is in Arcadia.
The Tulsa International Pops location will be behind TSA security lines, and therefore only available to passengers and airport employees.
The Pops store should be open early next year, said airport spokeswoman Alexis Higgins.
The move comes as Tulsa Airport Authority officials prepare to close off half of Concourse A for renovations on Jan. 16.
Paradies is also planning to revamp its CNBC-Java Dave's space, Thornton said, turning it into a "gourmet country market" concept when the A concourse reopens.
The Tulsa Airport Improvements Trust also accepted a deal to let Paradies open two kiosks along Concourse B to put concessions closer to customers.
Paradies is planning to spend about $500,000 on upgrades to concessions in the coming years.
Kyle Arnold 918-581-8380
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