Shops at airports have traditionally been one of the fallbacks for those who waited just a little too long for their holiday or birthday shopping. (This hasn’t been all bad; my father once brought me what became a favorite watch necklace that he spied going through Zurich duty-free.)
More and more, airports looking to increase revenues and merchants looking for new opportunities, have made airports not only for emergency shopping, but actual shopping destinations. At many of these shops, the prices are the same, or sometimes lower than at the regular stores.
Here are some of my favorites, and for readers who have other ideas, please add them in comments:
At Heathrow, after security there’s an actual small Harrod’s branch, and a branch of Hamley’s toy store. Both, are duty-free. Neither is cheap, but Hamley’s always has great toys and the Harrod’s name on everything from teddy bears to tea can make for popular gifts. I also like the W.H. Smith bookstores at Heathrow, which generally have the same “3 for the price of 2” specials that are so popular in Britain. (They also have many British and European authors available in paperback long before U.S. stores – “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” series for an example.)
Orlando International Airport has a whole little mall before security. It includes a branch of “Lush” with all their soaps, lotions, potions and bath bombs. (Note, the 3.5 ounce rule still applies, so if you buy a lot, consider doing so before checking bags.) The airport also has Disney and Universal stores, with some of the same merchandise otherwise only available at the theme parks.
Chicago O’Hare has a kiosk selling stuff from the Field Museum. Great for fans of dinosaurs in particular. Plus, there are branches of “Nuts on Clark,” a popular vendor of various popcorns and nuts with and without chocolate.
Charlotte International Airport has an official NASCAR shop. (It’s not my thing, but for non-NASCAR fans it might be the easiest place to find something fun for anyone in your life you who does enjoy watching those endless left turns.)
Dulles International Airport, not surprisingly has an “America” shop, with all sorts of political memorabilia for Democrats and Republicans alike.
And, Dulles, along with about a dozen other airports, also has a branch of “Vino Volo,” a wine bar and shop with some certifiably interesting bottles including local varieties at each store. Virginia Meritage anyone? (It’s pretty good and inside security, so the 3 oz. rule doesn’t apply.)
In Zurich, Switzerland, the airport has beefed up both “air side” and “land side” shopping. The supermarket on the land side has become Switzerland’s second busiest supermarket and the next-door fitness club is one of the country’s most popular. The airport is privately owned and is making lots of Swiss Francs from these stores packed with shoppers who never plan to fly, only shop.
If I’m traveling to or through a new city, one thing I’ll try if I have time is to check out the airport’s site. Usually it’s easy to get a list of shops (and restaurants) for ideas. Doing this, I discovered in September that Boston’s Logan Airport has a ‘Fudge Bar’, selling many interesting flavors of really good fudge and other sweets. Except that by the time I found this out, I was already in a different terminal.
This is just a starter list, but I’m hoping readers from all over can add their airport shopping paradises to it.
Who knows, with enough tips, frequent travelers might be able to check everyone off their list, without setting foot in an urban mall.
Janice Hough is a California-based travel agent a travel blogger and a part-time comedy writer. A frequent flier herself, she’s been doing battle with airlines, hotels, and other travel companies for over three decades. Besides writing for Travelers United, Janice has a humor blog at Leftcoastsportsbabe.com (Warning, the political and sports humor therein does not represent the views of anyone but herself.)
