Tuesday and Wednesday October 25 and 26th, 2022 passengers at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) had the opportunity to experience the exclusive grand opening of two brands.
Rita’s Italian Ice will make its first debut in an airport. Rita’s started in 1984 when Bob Tumolo, a former firefighter, opened a small Italian Ice business on his front porch in a suburb of Philadelphia. The first shop, named after his wife, Rita, was created to offer the best-tasting, highest-quality Italian Ice. Today, Rita’s is in over 30 states, serving up “Ice Custard Happiness” to millions of loyal fans. The location at BWI Marshall is their 547th store, located in Concourse C.
Restaurateur, Tisha Skinner, in the same entrepreneurial spirit of Bob Tumolo, convinced Rita’s leadership of her airport concept and they awarded her a franchise. Not only did Tisha launch the very first Rita’s airport location, but she customized the menu to cater to the needs of hungry passengers that includes tasty snacks around breakfast, lunch, and dinner times of the day. Now travelers in the early morning will smell fresh baked goods, and throughout the day Rita’s will rotate delicious menu items to entertain and “WOW” BWI Marshall passengers.
Tisha is a seasoned airport restaurateur and an ACDBE (Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise) certified business owner in the state of Maryland. She opened a Smoothie King in 2016 in Concourse D.
Brothers BBQ Pitstop has a 70-year history that has deep roots to the family of Sandra Long. Famous for Southern homestyle cooking, Brother's BBQ Pitstop became a hot spot in Nashville, and a regular haunt for celebrities, musicians, and politicians. Sandra honors her entire family legacy, with the opening at BWI Marshall Airport, for their love, passion, and culinary art of BBQ & Southern cuisine.
Sandra Long’s journey began with Fraport at the Nashville International Airport, as part of Fraport’s re-imagination program bringing authentic, legendary restaurants and stores to the airport. Sandra Long’s Brothers BBQ Pitstop, at BWI Marshall Airport is a long-time dream to continue the legend at her home-based city of Baltimore. At BWI, she continues the tradition of the family motto that states ' There is honor in feeding people".
Sandra Long, a third-generation restaurateur is also an ACDBE (Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise) certified business owner, in the State of Maryland.
The Maryland Aviation Administration (MAA) and Fraport USA have made it a priority to provide unprecedented opportunities to small, minority and ACDBE businesses at BWI Marshall. Their Launch Pad program designed to recruit, educate, and mentor these enterprises has become a MAA hallmark and leads the nation with these initiatives.
