24-04-2025
Norfolk Airport looks to revamp dining and shopping options with local businesses
NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — In the the not too distant future, you might be able to grab a bite to eat or shop at a local business before you catch a flight out of Norfolk International Airport.
In the coming weeks, the airport authority plans to release a request for proposals for two new concessions operators at the airport to oversee all of the terminal's food, beverage and retail options.
Currently, Avolta, a Swiss-based travel retailer oversees all the airports offerings — none of which carry the name of local businesses known throughout the Hampton Roads community.
Mark Perryman, the airport's executive director and CEO, said with so many people getting their first impression of the region through the walls of the terminal building, that should change.
'We have such a great local restaurants scene, local shops and artisans and all that,' Perryman said. 'We want that represented in the airport.'
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Norfolk International Airport, also known as ORF, has experienced three straight years of record passenger traffic, with more than 4.86 million passengers flying in and out in 2024. A study by Old Dominion University's Dragas found the airport accounted for $2.2 billion in economic impact for Hampton Roads and Northeast North Carolina in 2023.
With all that in mind, the airport has embarked on a $1 billion modernization program, which by 2029 will result in a new experience for the traveler.
Perryman said the timing has worked out that the longtime airport concessions contract is expiring in June 2026, aiding in that process.
'It worked out very well actually, because now that we've got the plans for the redevelopment and now we merge all that together,' Perryman said.'
Wednesday, more than 50 members of both national firms, as well as local restaurants, breweries and retail stores, spent much of the day inside the main terminal building learning about airport's vision for future concessions.
Currently, the airport is home to 13 dining options and nine retail shops. Four carry the name of national chains: there are three Starbucks and one Burger King. There are four sit-down restaurants whose names pay homage to the culture and natural surroundings of Hampton Roads: including 'The Local @ORF,' 'Here's To The Heroes,' 'James River Grill' and 'Back Bay Bistro.'
However, Perryman said that is not what he is talking about when he means local.
'Not just called 'The Local,' but actual local restaurants and that we all know and love here in Hampton Roads,' Perryman said.
Instead, Perryman wants new operators to work with local businesses like Taste Unlimited, CoVa Brewing and Town Center Cold Pressed. All three had members present at the workshop Wednesday.
Aviation consultants John DeCoster and Dan Benzon explained to the prospective concessionaires that two separate operators would ultimately be selected to split the space available for shopping and dining. Giving each operator 8-10 spaces.
Of their spaces, 40% of their tenants would be local business.
'It's going to be a mix so that nobody has one corner of the airport to themselves,' Perryman said. 'And it's going to be a mix of retail, food and beverage, (an airport) lounge is in this mix as well, food court is in the mix … we want those recognizable brands but we also want to offer the local flair and the local color that we get excited about.'
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Scott Bateman, co-owner of CoVa Brewing Company and Coffee House in Norfolk's East Beach community, said he and his partners are definitely interested in expanding their presence to the airport.
'We're actually, just a few miles away, and we get a lot of folks waiting for flights,' Bateman said. 'Our brewery has been open for about five years, so we're known in the community for being a big part of the community and this airport is an extension of that.'
Tiffany Nieves, who helped to co-found Town Center Cold Pressed, feels her company's offering of local craft coffee, cold pressed juices and smoothie bowls would excel in the travel environment.
'We're on the horizon to look for new opportunities,' Nieves said. 'And (my team) was like 'the airport. We got to do it.''
All potential vendors would have to agree to keep prices of their products no higher than 10% of the price you'd find in traditional brick-and-mortar retail shops in Hampton Roads, according to Perryman. This allows a balance to be struck between the extra overhead of operating in an airport and the consumer.
'Here, you have to get your product and employees past TSA each day,' Perryman said, adding that the new concessions will be mostly behind the TSA checkpoint.
'The the revenue per square foot for concessions post security is two to three times that of pre security,' Perryman said. 'So, with the new package and the new reconfiguration, instead of 50-50 it's going to be 90% post security and only about 10% for the meters and greeters and people who are grabbing something as they leave.'
Not only might new concessions enhance the experience for the traveler, but Perryman said it could help make your next airline ticket cheaper as well.
'They love that our concession revenues are doing well because that offsets their costs to a degree,' Perryman said. 'The lower their costs are, the cheaper it is for them to operate here, the greater chance we have to get more routes, more frequency and more destinations … I'm very excited about this. I've been waiting on this.'
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