(PRESS RELEASE) EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – Hudson, a travel experience leader with more than 1,000 stores in airports, commuter hubs, landmarks and tourist destinations across North America, unveiled its plans for in-store Sunglass Hut shop-in-shops as part of a new strategic venture with Luxottica Group. By partnering with a leader in luxury and premium eyewear, Hudson will bring a unique and innovative sunglass experience to its travel convenience concepts, capturing the attention of customers shopping for eyewear and impulse buyers alike.
The partnership will allow Hudson (NYSE: HUD) to open 250 Sunglass Hut shop-in-shops within its Hudson and localized convenience concepts across North America. After a pilot at Richmond International Airport earlier this year, Hudson plans to open nine additional shop-in-shops by August, with a phased approached continuing into 2022.
The Sunglass Hut shop-in-shops will be powered by STARS, Luxottica’s advanced business model designed to manage store product assortment. Leveraging Luxottica’s sunglass expertise, the model ensures the right products are offered to customers while monitoring and replenishing low inventory regularly.
“We’ve always known that eyewear and travel are intrinsically linked, making them an essential part of our core market offerings,” said Brian Quinn, EVP and chief operating officer of Hudson. “Through our partnership with Luxottica and Sunglass Hut, we’re creating an eyewear shopping destination with top brands for our customers inside our travel convenience concepts.”
The size of the shop-in-shops will vary by store, and will provide travelers with the same fun, highly engaging shopping experience that they know and associate with Sunglass Hut, complete with eye-catching displays and try-on experiences.
The shop-in-shops will feature collections from Sunglass Hut’s proprietary eyewear brands, Ray-Ban and Oakley, including Ray-Ban’s iconic aviator sunglasses and Oakley’s leading sport and performance sunglasses. Whether travelers forgot their pair at home or are looking to build their collection, the shop-in-shops will offer styles and designs to meet everyone’s needs.
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Hudson team members will leverage Luxottica and Sunglass Hut’s proprietary digital training solution to undergo extensive knowledge training on the sunglass collections, which includes material construction, sales techniques, sunglass fashion, and brand DNA.
“Sunglass Hut is pleased to enter into this relationship with Hudson, where we can provide premium sunglasses in convenient locations. We know that the combination of Luxottica sunglasses, training and inventory management, with Hudson’s retail operational excellence will provide travelers on the go with a convenient way to shop for the premium eyewear they know and love,” said Giorgio Pradi, Sunglass Hut’s general manager of North America.
The eyewear category has always been a core part of Hudson’s specialty fashion offerings. As part of its brand portfolio, Hudson currently operates 5th & Sunset, its proprietary sunglass and accessory stores, and freestanding Sunglass Hut stores in certain airports.
The addition of Sunglass Hut shop-in-shops to Hudson’s travel convenience stores will continue to transform the travel experience for its customers.
