Page 32 - TFWA World Exhibit 2024 Special Edition

INSIDER

Ambassador Duty Free Windsor

Ambassador Duty Free opened on The diesel fuel we sell has the taxes in the USA. Still, after all of these years being
July 10, 1995, at the Ambassador Bridge the price, but we are very competitive with open, some Canadians still think they are
Crossing in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. our pricing. required to shop at the U.S. store coming
It operates under a unique partnership We will also push the Canadian back into Canada.
with the University of Windsor, which is Government for duty free fuel, since it
the license holders for the CBSA license. meets all the export requirements. How has your business recovered since the
Ambassador hires all U of W students as border reopened after the pandemic? When
Sales Associates, on two year contracts, What has been Ambassador Duty Free’s do you envision a return to pre-pandemic
and has employed several hundred students biggest challenge? numbers?
since it opened in 1995, Ambassador
General Manager Mike Maskery tells TMI. Being the current largest commercial Ambassador Duty Free is still down
crossing between Canada and the U.S., the -14% YTD, over 2019. It’s hard to say
How has the duty free business changed impact of the excise tax on cigarettes has when or if we will return to pre-pandemic
since your store was opened? been a big challenge, since most of our business. I really thought we would bounce
cigarettes are sold to truckers. Also we are back in 2024. Let’s hope for a strong last
After 9/11, when passports were constantly educating our customers that quarter.
required to cross the border was a negative they CAN shop here before crossing into
change. Also the elimination of the
Visitor Rebate Program, and the Canadian
Government putting a tax on our (tax free)
cigarettes.

What has been the most memorable
activation/event at your store?

Seeing our [student] staff, years
or decades after they have worked at
Ambassador and their career path, has been
most memorable.
Also, in 2018, we opened up CTC
Fueling, selling diesel to our commercial
drivers. It has been extremely successful,
and we are now looking into opening a fuel
station for our car traffic as well.

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