On June 6, MarketPlace PHL and the City of Philadelphia Division of Aviation celebrated the 25th Anniversary of the PHL Food and Shops Program with a ceremony at the B/C Food Court MarketPlace PHL is a private partner of PHL’s food and retail programs. There are more than 170 shops, restaurants, and services in the award-winning program which includes a wide variety of local, regional, and national brands.
In 1998, LeJeune & Associates, a Philadelphia-based retail development, management, and consulting firm, and MarketPlace Development, a Boston-based airport retail development firm, joined together to form MarketPlace PHL. Their goal was to create a robust concession program which has become a model for airports across the country.
“We’re grateful to our merchants, concessionaires and especially to the Department of Aviation and the City of Philadelphia for their unwavering support of the PHL Food & Shops Program through the years,” said Clarence LeJeune, Operating Partner of MarketPlace PHL. “Thank you, as well, to the many thousands of employees whose hard work and over the past 25 years built this business, literally and figuratively.”
Over the past 25 years, MarketPlace PHL has witnessed the expansion of PHL with Terminal F in 2001 and Terminal A-West in 2003. Additionally, they’ve lived through snowstorms and the Eagles Superbowl win in 2018 among other historical moments.
“MarketPlace PHL and PHL have worked well together because we share the same goal of providing our passengers with a first-class experience within the short time that they’re here in our airport,” said Department of Aviation CEO Atif Saeed. “MarketPlace PHL features local businesses, well-known national brands, and forward-thinking concepts. Clarence and Mel have worked hard to ensure ACDBE businesses are represented at PHL. In 2022, over 20 ACDBE involved business concessionaires at PHL contributed to more than $80 million in sales which accounts for 45 percent of the food beverage and retail sales at the airport.”
MarketPlace PHL is dedicated to its concessionaires and the entire airport community. New and innovative concessionaires introduced through the PHL Food & Shops Program include Everything Travel, powered by Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology, and the highly anticipated ROAM Fitness opening this summer in Terminal F.
“It’s hard to believe that it’s already been 25 years since we launched our merchant program and our partnership with the Department of Aviation,” said Mel Hannah, Vice President, and General Manager of MarketPlace PHL. “We appreciate being part of Philadelphia’s robust and ongoing commitment to growing our region’s travel and tourism economy.”
The celebration concluded by recognizing 25 employees with 25 or more years of experience in concessions at the airport. Additionally, long time concession businesses Johnston & Murphy, Auntie Anne’s, Time to Fly, Sbarro, Sunglass Hut and others were recognized for their longevity at PHL. Passengers were also treated to cake, cupcakes, and giveaways.
