Elbow River Exchange, Frontier Provisions and InMotion are now open to travelers at YYC
High-res images can be found here Photo credit belongs to Joe Stephenson and Darren Ballingall.
CALGARY – America’s leading specialty retailer in the airport marketplace, WH Smith North America, has stepped into a brand-new market for the company with the opening of three stores at Calgary International Airport (YYC); Elbow River Exchange, Frontier Provisions and InMotion. These stores, in addition to providing travelers with unique spaces to shop for convenience and technology products, pay tribute to the city and its history through partnerships with local vendors and artists.
Most notably, WH Smith North America’s Elbow River Exchange is a tribute to the significant role of the Elbow River and the Indigenous heritage in the Calgary area. This store embodies the airport’s thematic messaging of “Indigenous People – Our Community Today,” building a space that celebrates both the historical and contemporary contributions of Indigenous peoples to the region. Elbow River Exchange offers a wide array of products including reading materials, electronics, snacks, bottled beverages, local gifts, souvenirs and travel essentials.
Featuring a stunning mural by Indigenous artist, Keegan Starlight of the Tsuut’ina Nation, the store’s design reflects a commitment to preserving and sharing Indigenous culture. On Friday, March 22, Starlight, airport officials and WH Smith North America executives, including CEO, Toby Keir, divisional vice president of business development, Alea LaRocque, and senior vice president of supply chain, Simon Ellison, gathered at Elbow River Exchange to unveil the mural.
“This project was a perfect fit for our company’s mission, which is to create thoughtful and unique shopping experiences for travelers that reflect the essence of each city we enter,” said Keir. “Having the opportunity to share the story and history of Calgary with one of our first concepts to enter the market has been an honor. We are thankful to our partners at Calgary Airport Authority, Keegan Starlight, and all our local vendors for their work bringing this concept to life.”
“Unveiling this commissioned piece from Keegan Starlight alongside the opening of Elbow River Exchange is an incredible way to kick-off our exciting new partnership with WH Smith” said Chris Niergarth, Calgary Airport Authority’s General Manager of Commercial & Retail Development. “Introducing this international retail leader, WH Smith, to the Calgary market is a privilege, and we look forward to continuing to strengthen our collaboration. With their support, YYC is thrilled to showcase a talented local artist and uplift creators in our own community, all while providing guests with excellent retail options for their travel essentials.”
WH Smith North America has also opened Frontier Provisions and InMotion at YYC. Frontier Provisions was designed to pay homage to Alberta’s expansive prairies and vistas, and presents a carefully curated selection of products, from books and electronics to gifts and souvenirs, alongside high-quality grab-and-go options that include gourmet and locally sourced snacks and beverages. InMotion is the world’s leading electronics retailer in airports and carries the latest tech products from brands such as Apple, Beats, Bose, Sony and JBL.
WH Smith North America offers a variety of products from local Calgary vendors at both Elbow River Exchange and Frontier Provisions. These local vendors include Calgary Heritage Coffee, Chocolate Lab Calgary, Poko Popcorn, Hungry Volcano Hot Sauce, Calgary Meats Jerky and more.
Additional WH Smith North America store openings at YYC are set to be announced later this year. For more information on WH Smith North America locations and retailers, visit marshallretailgroup.com and inmotionstores.com, or to see more dining and retail options available at YYC, visit www.yyc.com.
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About WH Smith North America
WH Smith is a leading global travel retailer with over 1,700 stores across 30 countries worldwide. WH Smith North America, incorporating Marshall Retail Group (MRG) and InMotion, represents over half of the Company’s international store estate, with c.320 specialty retail stores located in airports and resorts across North America.
MRG prides itself on creating unique experiences for customers by developing distinctive retail store concepts that feature and highlight the local culture, community, and lifestyle of the cities in which they are located. InMotion Entertainment Group is the largest airport-based electronics retailer in travel locations globally, with more than 120 locations throughout the United States. With access and insight into the latest technologies for business and leisure travelers, InMotion offers lifestyle products and electronics that include a wide breadth of headphones, mobile power, Bluetooth speakers and travel accessories. Follow WH Smith North America and InMotion on LinkedIn.
Media Contacts:
Kirvin Doak Communications
WHSmithNorthAmericaPR@kirvindoak.com
702.737.3100