Monocle to launch airport retail

Monocle, the luxury zeitgeist magazine and purveyor of lifestyle accessories is launching its first airport retail store. The company, which was founded by Tyler Brulé in 2007 as a magazine covering design, culture and business for the global urbanite, has now become a bonafide retail destination.

The company’s first airport store will open in Hong Kong International airport and will sell a range of books, periodicals, travel essentials and Monocle’s full range of own-brand products and travel guides, reports the Retail Bulletin.

The 190 sqm store was developed in association with Paris based Lagardère Travel Retail, the first in a series of airport based outposts that the brand is planning to open.

Tyler Brûlé, editor-in-chief and chairman of Monocle, said: “The launch of this new concept at Hong Kong International Airport comes at the perfect time for our sector. Airport news and shop formats have not been keeping pace with the retail industry in general and this debut seeks to raise the game for both the print industry and customers. Hong Kong is already one of our most important markets both for readers and brand partnerships. In order to tailor this for the local audience, visitors and passengers connecting, we’ve developed a store that is calm, elegantly designed and stocked with good reads for the long haul, gifts for friends and clients at the other end and of course lots of accessories and fashion items for our core audience.”

Monocle in a statement on its website note its sales in Southeast Asia “are soaring” and its top markets include the US, UK, Australia, Singapore and Hong Kong. Monocle also operates stores and café concepts in London, Zürich, Merano, Los Angeles, Toronto, Tokyo and Hong Kong.

Image courtesy of Monocle; article source The Retail Bulletin.