DFS celebrates 50 years at SFO with grand reopening of renovated stores

DFS’ newly renovated flagship store in SFO Terminal G.

DFS Group is celebrating 50 years of operation at San Francisco International Airport with a gala event at which it will unveil two newly renovated flagship stores and four renovated luxury boutiques.

The event will take place on June 1 at the Airport’s Terminal G concourse, attended by official representatives, VIP customers and local celebrities.

DFS first opened its doors in 1972 as SFO’s only duty free retailer. The company says that it has served millions of international travelers since then.

The new prestige spirits section in Terminal G
The Spirits selection in Terminal G.
The Wine shop in the DFS flagship in Terminal A

In recent months, to prepare for the return of international travelers to locations throughout the U.S., the retailer undertook a comprehensive renovation of its flagship stores in SFO’s Terminal A and G concourses.

In addition, boutiques featuring luxury brands including Gucci, Burberry, Hermès, and the world’s first in-airport Saint Laurent were remodeled to world-class standards befitting the brands’ images and in line with SFO’s standing as one of the world’s busiest hubs.

The event will kick off 50 days of celebration, highlighting exclusive products and gifts as well as local discoveries from the Bay area.

In celebration of its 50 years of operation at San Francisco International Airport, DFS renovated four boutiques featuring luxury brands including Gucci, Burberry, Hermès, and (not pictured) the world’s first in-airport Saint Laurent boutique.

Featured brands and products will include Benefit cosmetics, wines from the Napa and Sonoma vineyards, confectionery treats from the Ghirardelli Chocolate Company and See’s Candies, and spirits from Hangar 1 Distillery and Gold Bar Whiskey.

The in-store offers will be augmented by new digital experiences, such as interactive digital wine tables that allow customers to place a bottle on the table and learn about that brand and vintage displayed on the screen.

DFS has also partnered with Inflyter, the duty free shopping app that enables travelers to browse and buy duty free as soon as a flight booking has been made so they do not need to wait until arriving at the airport to shop.

“DFS is honored to have served travelers to San Francisco and the Bay Area for more than five decades,” said DFS Chairman and CEO Benjamin Vuchot.

“We are delighted to show our appreciation to them by expanding our retail offering here at San Francisco International Airport to include even more luxury brands, new pro-ducts, and elevated customer experiences that take airport retail to new heights,” he added.

“SFO forms the first impression of San Francisco for millions of travelers around the world,” said SFO Director Ivar C. Satero. “For more than half our history, DFS has been a part of the journey, creating an airport experience that travelers love. With this newest facility, DFS has brought a uniquely San Francisco sense of place to life, one which we know travelers will enjoy for years to come.”

DFS’ renovated stores in the A and G concourses are located just past the newly expanded security checkpoints. The design of the new stores is described as reflecting the laid-back yet cosmopolitan essence of San Francisco, with a façade that features iron-painted International Orange (the color of the Golden Gate Bridge) and natural wood.

The unveiling of the renovated stores at SFO marks the latest DFS re-openings as travel resumes around the world.

In recent months DFS has fully or partially reopened stores in Honolulu and Maui, Saipan, Guam, Okinawa, Auckland, Cairns, Sydney, Singapore, Ho Chi Minh, Hanoi, Hong Kong, Macau, Venice and Paris.

In addition, DFS opened its first Galleria store in Hainan Island, China, with a local partner in January. DFS says it will also open two new Galleria stores in Oceania; one in Queenstown, New Zealand, set to open in Q4 2022, and another in Brisbane, Australia, to open by Q2 2023. The company is also expanding its network in Macau SAR where it currently operates seven stores.