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The first new concessions open in Tampa International Airport's big renovation

 
Linda Kiss, left, and Cheryl Hawkins chat at the Bay Coffee & Tea Co. restaurant at the airport on its opening day Thursday.
Linda Kiss, left, and Cheryl Hawkins chat at the Bay Coffee & Tea Co. restaurant at the airport on its opening day Thursday.
Published Feb. 19, 2016

TAMPA

Airport executives and business owners gathered Thursday afternoon at Tampa International Airport to celebrate the opening of the first two concessions of 65 scheduled to debut over the next two years as a part of a $953 million renovation plan.

"This is the first of many ribbon-cuttings to come," said airport CEO Joe Lopano, who cut the ribbon at Bay Coffee & Tea Co., a locally owned organic coffee shop, and Auntie Anne's, a national pretzel chain, which opened Thursday in the Airside A terminal.

In June, the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority board accepted a highly contested plan to introduce 65 new restaurants and retailers at airport terminals, which include a mix of locally owned concepts, like Mise en Place, Buddy Brew Coffee and Ducky's, and national chains like P.F. Chang's and Hard Rock Cafe.

"A committee spent thousands of hours going through many amazing concepts," Lopano said. "And we think the small businesses that were selected will be wildly successful here."

The airport staff spent six months evaluating bids from concessionaires and ranking the proposals based on concept, layout, preparation and vendors' overall business plans and expectations for revenue.

Bay Coffee & Tea owner Herb Colvin partnered with prime concessionaire company Hojeij Branded Foods to operate a Qdoba Mexican Grille, two Espressamente Illy shops, a Potbelly Sandwich Shop, a Chick-fil-A and a Bay Coffee & Tea Co. shop in airside terminals. Colvin is a minority partner in the operation. He said Thursday that he registered to be an airport concessionaire partner in 2006 and has been vying to do business in the airport ever since, despite operating only one coffee stand, inside a Hills­borough County Public Schools building.

Auntie Anne's opened in terminal A through TPA Hospitality Partners, with includes partners Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik, and Mise en Place Hospitality Group owner Maryann Ferenc. The group will open the Cafe at Mise en Place, RumFish Grill and Four Green Fields, as well as a lineup of grab-and-go restaurants like Chick-fil-A, Panda Express, PDQ and Auntie Anne's.

"Auntie Anne's is the first of eight concepts for us to open today," said Caroline Ellerson, owner of Green Clay Concessionaires, a partner with TPA Hospitality Partners. "What a wonderful time to be a part of the expansion of this airport."

Several other restaurants and retailers are under construction at the airport, and about 30 will open sometime this year.

The airport anticipates that when the renovations are completed by 2017, it will make $22 million in revenue, up from $16.7 million in 2012. By 2017, the Tampa airport hopes that the average passenger will spend $13 at stores and restaurants in its terminals. In 2012, the average passenger spent $9.60 at the airport.

Contact Justine Griffin at jgriffin@tampabay.com or (727) 893-8467. Follow @SunBizGriffin.