Rolex has opened a 500sq m two-storey watch store in Hong Kong International Airport, with Chanel set to do the same this December.

The stunning new Rolex store is located in HKIA’s main departure duty free shopping mall and is the first of two planned stand alone double-storey luxury boutiques that Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) plans to open this year, with each of the two floors measuring 250sq m in size.

The opening comes as part of the authority’s ongoing duty free retail and passenger facilities upgrade programme revealed to TRBusiness by AAHK General Manager for Retail & Advertising Albert Yau a year ago.

The new stand alone Rolex store is believed to be the world’s largest airport duty free watch shop which has been designed with floor to ceiling external glass walls, creating all round visibility for passengers approaching the boutique from any direction. The stylish Rolex store has also been  designed so that customers can enter on both floor levels.

Hong Kong International Airport’s Chanel flagship store is expected to open in December of this year.

 

MAJOR NEW RETAIL LANDMARKS
An internal glass panelled spiral staircase provides customers with access to both floor levels, where watches are displayed in glass-topped counters and attractive wood panelled wall display units.

Located on the northern side of Hong Kong Airport’s central departure hall atrium which most departing passengers have to pass on their way to their flight gates, this shop will shortly be joined by Chanel’s keenly awaited two-storey outlet. This is presently under construction on the southern side of the airport’s central departure hall atrium.

Still under wraps as building continues, the Chanel boutique will also consist of 500sq m of retail floor space, with each floor level covering 250sq m. Similarly positioned for all round visibility it will be accessible on both floor levels via an internal staircase, although further details of the store’s interior design have yet to be revealed.

An opening date has not been announced for the Chanel boutique yet, although an official government notice fixed to one of the wooden panel access doors closing off the store site stated last weekend that work is due for completion by December 31, 2013 – having begun on July 23 this year.

 

IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENT FOR HKIA
The opening of these two luxury flagship shops offering two of the most sought after brands in Asia marks an important step for Hong Kong Airport, both in terms of competing with Hong Kong’s bustling downtown retail sector and raising its competitive edge with other growing hub airports appealing to high spending mainland Chinese passengers.

AAHK’s Albert Yau made it clear to TRBusiness last year that the airport has been looking for iconic landmark shops, but this has not been easy with the configuration of the terminal as it was originally designed. As reported exclusively by TRBusiness, AAHK signed the original contracts to operate these new shops with Chanel and Rolex back in August 2011.

 

[PHOTO CREDIT: All images David Hayes, TRBusiness].