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INSIDER

Rouge Duty Free opens new locations and expands liquor

business

Rouge Duty Free continues to flourish
in the region’s duty free and travel retail
market, consistently expanding the family-
owned retail enterprise to new islands and
new locations across the Caribbean.
Rouge’s liquor business is also
developing on plan, with the product
portfolio expanding to offer all the most
important brands as well as unique
specialties, says Raymond Kattoura, whose
company Duty Free & Travel Retail Group
Inc. helps manage the business for Rouge
Duty Free. After introducing liquor in its
Grenada operations and rolling it out to
St. Croix, Kattoura says that all future
openings will carry wine and spirits.
“Liquor continues to be a key focus
for us this year. Our new division has
opened, and in Grenada we have expanded
into liquor distribution for hotels and
restaurants.”
Kattoura will be attending the Summit
of the Americas specifically to meet with
key spirits brands in the region.
On the retail front, the company’s goal
to open 30 Rouge Duty Free stores in the
next three-five years is still on track, with The Rouge Boutique on Front Street in the heart of downtown Philipsburg in
two new locations set to open in summer Dutch St. Maarten was one of three stores the company opened on the island
2022. at the end of last year.

St. Croix
Rouge’s other big project currently Rouge Maison also features a small Front Street, and at Bobby’s Marina and
underway is the Rouge Maison concept boutique hotel with four beautiful suites Captain’s Hodge Pier. With St. Maarten
in the heart of Christiansted’s downtown on the second level, which has recently open to cruising again, and Rouge being
Historic District, on St. Croix in the U.S. opened, says Kattoura. It will soon be the only fragrance store at the Port,
Virgin Islands. joined by a hip café, serving light food, business has more than doubled. Rouge’s
Located on the city’s famed Company coffee, wines, located in the backyard, high-end fragrance boutique on Front
Street in the former Sandal’s mansion, where restoration of historic elements, Street is also reporting excellent sales.
the company is refurbishing the Spanish- such as an old brick Dutch oven, are being Among the existing stores, Rouge
style historic site into a boutique galleria completed. St. Thomas continues to deliver record
carrying fragrances and skincare, fashion, Rouge’s first store in St. Croix numbers for the company, and with the re-
sunglasses, luggage and liquor with continues to generate significant sales, opening of Grenada to tourism, the Rouge
specialized niches dedicated to select high- ranking as Rouge Duty Free’s #3 location, airport stores are operating again. Rouge is
end brands around the store. As a historic says Kattoura. looking to add more doors in Port Louis,
site, the house needs special restoration. where its flagship there has grown out of its
The main floor has been completed, and St. Maarten current space.
with fixtures and furniture now being Sales are also increasing at the three
installed, the galleria could be open in May, new Rouge locations in St. Maarten,
says Kattoura. which opened late last year in downtown

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