A Cuppa Joe and a Cruller, Manicures and Massages Are Now Being Served at Southwest Florida

Wed, June 11, 2008

A cuppa joe and a cruller, manicures and massages are now being served at Southwest Florida International Airport.

Five new shops quietly opened last week in portions of the passenger terminal before the security checkpoints.

They are:

•Two Dunkin' Donuts, and two The Beaches Travelmarts, one of each near the entrances to Concourses B and D; and

•A :10 Minute Manicure shop near Concourse D. The Miami-based chain has 10 locations at airports in the United States and Canada, as well as two other stores. This week it began construction at Miami International, with Palm Beach International to follow.

At the airport south of Fort Myers, "we're doing manicures, pedicures and massages," said Lorraine Brennan O'Neil, company CEO. Sometime later, "we'll be adding 15-minute teeth-whitening," O'Neil said.

The company recently was authorized to do franchising in Florida, and aims to sell the local airport's salon to a franchisee, O'Neil added.

The Beaches Travelmart sells books, magazines, health and beauty aids, traveler electronics and more. There's already a Travelmart on Concourse C.

Retailing is second only to car rentals in providing non-aviation revenue to the airport. This not only is because more passengers are using the terminal every year - they attract more "meeters and greeters" than do users of most other airports. Some of these family and friends come early, and also spend money at the local airport.

The new stores are projected to add $2.5 million a year in sales for Paradies-Shell Factory II LLC - the airport's lead concessionaire - and about $400,000 a year in income for Lee County Port Authority.

The Paradies Shops reported gross sales of $13.9 million at Southwest Florida International for the airport's fiscal year that ended Sept. 30.

Airport leaders said revenues from retail sales help contain fees they must charge airlines, and indirectly encourage carriers to retain and expand service here.

Rori Lash gives Jane Styles a manicure Tuesday at :10 Minute Manicure at Southwest Florida International Airport. The shop recently opened along with a Dunkin' Donuts and a Travelmart in the public area of the terminal. Styles was waiting for a delayed flight back home to Boston. (Amanda Inscore/news-press.com)

• Rori Lash gives Jane Styles a manicure Tuesday at :10 Minute Manicure at Southwest Florida International Airport.