In a move toward bringing more Northeast Florida flavor to the concessions at Jacksonville International Airport, the Jacksonville Aviation Authority has added or expanded Firehouse Subs and Southern Grounds & Co. and is adding Pura Bean Coffee to a larger Vino Volo and – to the cheers of fans – Angie’s Subs.
While not locally based, Chili’s also is expanding from its original size at the entrance to Concourse A, just as Vino Volo is doubling in size at the front of Concourse C.
Paradies Lagardère operates Vino Volo. HMSHost operates the rest of the dining areas with Lee Wesley Group.
JAA Properties Manager Jeff Taylor told the board July 27 that the focus on concessions development the past several years has been driven by two goals.
“One of those is to rebalance the existing program that we’ve had, which has been heavy on the retail, and a high demand for food and beverage, so we’ve been wanting to bring more restaurants to support the growing demand for food and beverage services,” Taylor said.
“And secondly, we’ve been focused on bringing in more local flavors for our passengers to experience. We want our airports to be reflective of the sense of place in Jacksonville,” he said.
“This airport is the gateway to our community in North Florida, and to South Georgia, and to everywhere else where there’s not an airport. So, we want our passengers and our customers and our guests and our tourists to see the link to everything that North Florida has to offer.”
The airport’s 20 gates comprise 10 on Concourse A and 10 on Concourse C.
The security checkpoint expansion and the movement of concessions is in preparation for the construction of the six-gate Concourse B to be completed in 2025.
Starting with post-security, accessed by ticketed passengers, Taylor presented the changes over the past 18 months.
Concourse A
Taylor said BurgerFi opened last year in Concourse A. “It’s had six times the sales of the previous concession concept,” he said. It replaced Brooks Brothers clothing.
Before BurgerFi opened, “burger was the most underserved category of our airport.”
BurgerFi International Inc. is based in Fort Lauderdale.
“You could get a burger at a sit-down restaurant in Chili’s, but you couldn’t get one quick-service to-go, and so that’s been a really popular addition,” Taylor said.
Jacksonville-based Southern Grounds opened a coffee, pastry and quick-service shop on Concourse A in 2022.
At the entrance to Concourse A, Chili’s closed for the checkpoint construction, but will open “definitely a new and improved Chili’s,” Taylor said.
“Chili’s has been the highest-grossing concession in our airport. Right before it closed due to the security checkpoint project, it had just reached $5 million in sales. So with a 50% expansion of this unit, we expect it to expand significantly.”
There will be up to 50% more bar seating. There also will be seating along the chair rails.
Also on Concourse A, Jacksonville Beach-based Angie’s Subs will open a quick-service restaurant in early 2024 with a limited menu of about 10 of its most popular subs, including its signature, The Peruvian, made with ham, salami, bacon, Italian sausage, provolone cheese and Angie’s Peruvian sauce.
The restaurant will have a grab-and-go section with cold subs and salads, as well as bottles of hot sauce and Peruvian sauce for sale. It also will have breakfast items.
In addition to BurgerFi and Southern Grounds, food concessions on Concourse A comprise Shula’s Bar & Grill and Ciao Gourmet Market. Ciao will close to be converted into Angie’s Subs.
Concourse C
Jacksonville-based Firehouse Subs opened March 6 on Concourse C.
When Concourse B starts construction, the smaller Firehouse Sub immediately post-security in the food court will close.
“It’s been incredibly successful,” Taylor said.
“Both concourses have a coffee offering on both ends. For Concourse A, the passengers have Southern Grounds. In Concourse C, we’ve got Starbucks,” Taylor said.
“Southern Grounds has been so successful that it’s outpaced Starbucks on Concourse C in sales. … It’s doing a better job right now.”
Starbucks also operates immediately post-security in Concourse C.
Along Concourse C, the Vino Volo wine bar will double in size from its previous size there, adding beer and specialty cocktails and an expanded food menu.
It will add Verdi Market to serve Jacksonville-based Pura Bean Coffee, pastries and grab-and-go items.
The city is reviewing a permit application for an estimated $500,000 build-out for the 2,592-square-foot project.
“As a result of the checkpoint expansion project, we had an opportunity to expand the Vino Volo location, most importantly, to ensure it has enough offerings to support our early morning guests,” Taylor said.
“About 40% of our passengers process through the checkpoint before 10 a.m. That’s a category of customers that we want to ensure that, as best we can, all of our concession offerings are serving.”
In addition to Starbucks, Firehouse Subs and a temporary Vino Volo kiosk, PGA Tour Grill operates on Concourse C.
Food court
The food-court tenants – Starbucks, Auntie Anne’s, Firehouse Subs and Sbarro – will close during construction of Concourse B.
Passengers might be able to patronize Angie’s, Chili’s and Vino Volo depending on timing.
The food court is immediately past security.
Concourse B
The new Concourse B will feature a Grand Food Hall.
“Our team has planned for about a dozen additional new concessions in our new food hall area, the Grand Food Hall, as we’re calling it, as well as Concourse B,” Taylor said.
The new concourse also will have two new first-class clubs, “which will be over double in size of what they are now, to support the growing demand for that type of service.”
The Club JAX and Delta Sky Club will move to that concourse.
The airport also intends to open Jacksonville-based Burrito Gallery in the Great Food Hall after Concourse B is completed.
Burrito Gallery was planned to replace Ciao on Concourse A but the proposed space was not able to accommodate some of the necessary kitchen equipment for the menu items.
The JAA will issue requests for proposals for potential food tenants at the Grand Food Hall when the time comes.
Pre-security
Pre-security, Southern Grounds has opened a restaurant, bar and a coffee and pastry counter that is twice the size of its Concourse A shop.
“As a result of the checkpoint expansion project, not only are we increasing and improving the security screening process, we’ve also been able to grow and expand all of the concessions that surround the checkpoint,” Taylor said.
“As for this Southern Grounds unit, like I said, it’s twice the size. It’ll offer a more fuller menu, with higher-level equipment. As the passengers exit the terminal, they’ll see the bakery items and smell all the products that it has to offer like the fresh baked cookies.”
He said it also offers a full-service bar, “getting that offering back once again for cocktails, beer and wine, and specialty drinks.”
Sam Snead’s Tavern offered sit-down service and a bar. Its space is now part of the expanded checkpoint.
Southern Grounds’ renovated space previously was occupied by Starbucks, Made in JAX and parts of the airport gallery.
Starbucks has two locations post-security.