World-class Tax Free shopping takes off at Copenhagen Airport

2013-04-16 — /travelprnews.com/ — Today (11.4.2013), Gebr. Heinemann opens its doors to the brand new ‘Copenhagen Airport Tax Free’ and reveals a main store landmark emphasizing Copenhagen Airport’s dedication to the extraordinary: ‘The BIG Mermaid’ by world-renowned Danish architects Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG).

Poul Henningsen’s famous Artichoke Lamps, exquisite wooden lamellae, floor-to-ceiling trees and natural light ceilings greet travellers when they enter the new Tax Free main store at Copenhagen Airport. Today, Gebr. Heinemann officially presents its new Copenhagen concept under the brand name ‘Copenhagen Airport Tax Free’.

“Copenhagen Airport is an important site for our company – Travellers truly appreciate the unique Danish architecture and the Nordic ambience that has become a Copenhagen Airport trademark. They want to have a sense of where they are, and we wanted to make sure that Tax Free would give them exactly that – that’s why we opted for a shop concept specifically tailored to Copenhagen: building on the Danish design heritage, the shop interior is tailor-made for Copenhagen Airport, and the ceiling, the seating, and the lighting feature unique Danish design,” said Gebr. Heinemann co-owner Gunnar Heinemann.

Carsten Nørland, VP Sales and Market at Copenhagen Airport, added: “Copenhagen Airport Tax Free was developed to match our vision of offering extraordinary shopping experiences. We want to engage travellers while they’re shopping and allow them to both see and sense the products they are buying. We want them to feel pampered when visiting The Beauty Bar to get a free hand treatment or The Tasting Bar to taste the high-quality wines or new additions to the spirits range. The shop’s inspirational stages make Copenhagen Airport Tax Free an extraordinary experience in itself.”

The Little Mermaid turned BIG
Each of the Tax Free outlets now features contemporary store planning that offers maximum clarity and special inspirational stages for extraordinary new products and brands. The largest of the six stores also features a ‘Regionals’ zone dedicated to Danish products and a unique 5.2 metre tall shop landmark – The BIG Mermaid – courtesy of top Copenhagen architects Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG).

Bjarke Ingels, founding partner at BIG, explained: “To travel is to live, as Danish author and poet Hans Christian Andersen once said. Denmark is a nation with 443 islands from the North Sea to the Oresund. The BIG Mermaid at CPH is conceived as an archipelago of Scandinavian products amidst the flow of people traveling to and from Copenhagen.“

Heinemann Retail Denmark
The six Copenhagen Airport Tax Free shops (and the online shop) are managed by Gebr. Heinemann Retail ApS, a wholly owned subsidiary of Gebr. Heinemann. The Copenhagen outlets have been operated by Gebr. Heinemann since March 2007. In June 2012, the company signed a new contract for the concession at Copenhagen Airport; the agreement, which has a term of five years, came into effect on 1 March 2013.

Copenhagen Airport Tax Free comprises the main store (2,400 m²), pier shop A (175 m²), pier shop B (80 m²), pier shop C (expanded from 100 m² to 260 m²), the Terminal 3 shop (160 m²) and the arrival shop (126 m²), as well as an online shop.

FACT FILE – REGIONALS

– The spectacular ‘Regionals’ zone highlights Danish products and specialities such as fine chocolates, spirits and design icons.

– Heinemann commissioned leading Copenhagen-based architects Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) to come up with a blueprint for the ‘Regionals’ zone. The result is ‘The BIG Mermaid’ – an impressive 5.2 metre tall interpretation of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid produced in oak (soap treated, oil treated and lacquered).

– Describing ‘The BIG Mermaid’, Bjarke Ingels, founding partner of BIG, said: “National identity is a living thing – we have a tradition of contemporary Danish artists such as Elmgreen and Dragset or Bjørn Nørgård revisiting the national heritage and identity nested in Andersen’s mermaid by treating her as a dynamic entity alive and available for reinterpretation rather than an untouchable monument. Andersen injected the everyday with poetry and didn’t just write about romance and royalty but also about the flaws of human nature and society. The Little Mermaid in Copenhagen is more than anything remarkable for how unremarkably she sits at the water’s edge small and without a pedestal as if she were just a natural part of our daily life. To travel is to live. Denmark is is a nation of 443 islands from the North Sea to the Øresund. The BIG Mermaid at CPH is conceived as an archipelago of Scandinavian products amidst the flow of people traveling to and from Copenhagen.“

FACT FILE – PERFUME AND COSMETICS

– Impressive Tax Free highlights are the Chanel fragrances ‘Les Exclusifs de Chanel’: At present, Tax Free is one of only two outlets in Denmark to offer the fragrances. Packaged in 12 identical bottles, the 12 scents were developed by leading Chanel perfumers. In the past these included Ernest Beaux, who is best known for creating Chanel Nº 5; more recently, Jacques Polge – exclusive perfumer to Chanel – developed fragrances such as Coco, Egoïste and Allure.

– As the only store in Scandinavia, Copenhagen Airport Tax Free features Dior’s The Collection Privée Christian Dior – a collection of rare, authentic and elegant fragrances for men and women, created using only carefully selected, noble raw materials. The collection reflects the know-how and talents of its Perfumer Creator, François Demachy, who drew his inspiration from the House of Dior’s unique heritage.

– The Beauty Bar offers free pampering for travellers in the form of small beauty treatments provided by one of the many brands in Tax Free. The brand and the treatments will change every two months. At the moment Biotherm is offering a free luxury hand treatment.

– The brand new ‘Naturals’ area offers a wide selection of natural cosmetics and skincare products from leading labels such as Kiehl’s, L’Occitane, Tromborg, Origins, Rituals and Linden Leaves.

– Tax Free prices on perfumes and cosmetics are always 20% lower than recommended city prices on the Danish market.

FACT FILE – WINE AND SPIRITS

– The selection of exclusive wines and champagnes has expanded considerably. The section is now clearly arranged by country and growing region.

– Approx. 30 wines are presented with detailed information on tasting notes.

– The highest quality wines are presented in a separate cabinet.

– At The Tasting Bar, customers are invited to sample many of the wines in store to ensure they find the taste and quality they are looking for.

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