Page 14 - ASUTIL 2023

INSIDER

Top Brands International opened a 1,000-square-meter duty free store at Silvio Pettirossi Airport in Asuncion, Paraguay in mid-2022.

Top Brands completes ambitious Luryx departure store in Asuncion
John Gallagher reports

It’s now more than three and a half delays in the arrival of shop furniture, plenty of wide spaces where shoppers
years since Top Brands International won fittings, and fixtures, including the huge can combine the emotion of traveling
the Asuncion tender to operate duty free upturn in the logistical cost of getting the and shopping in comfort and can move
in Paraguay’s biggest airport in December new furniture to Paraguay. around the store with carry-on bags without
2019. After beating off competition from “But we had to pay these costs so that banging into the displays. Apart from this,
La Petisquera (Mannah) and Golden Duty we could finish the whole operation. Our we have very well qualified shop personnel
Free, the company was looking forward objective to build a great Luryx store in who are able to offer exceptional service to
to being the exclusive retailer at Silvio Paraguay was clear and we followed our ensure the very best shopping experience,”
Pettirossi Airport – and then COVID timetable to have the shop ready for the day assures Betancur.
derailed the plans. that flights restarted, and the airport became
Top Brands had taken over the Bright operational once again,” says Betancur. Categories beyond perfumes and liquor
Star concession in 2017 and with the new The company had a soft opening Fragrances and alcohol are the two
win had planned to open a 1,000 sq. meter in May 2022 when the airport restarted most important categories throughout the
walk-through store in the departures area, normal operations and by November, region but Betancur says that the Luryx
just after the immigration and security the shop was complete with all the latest store in Asuncion offers the traveler “a
checkpoints. technology and the personalized furniture whole lot more.”
Yeison Betancur, Latin America and from its strategic customers like MAC, “We have a superb offer in makeup
Caribbean Retail Director for Top Brands Pandora, and Chanel among others, and skin care – we have a great range of
International, spoke with TMI about how according to Betancur. accessories, and we have a huge selection
the company was finally able to complete “We were pleased to see that all of chocolate and sweets,” he says. “These
one of its most ambitious projects in Latin the shoppers loved the new store from categories are showing impressive growth
America. the beginning. The Luryx store in Silvio and are in high demand from our travelers.
“When the COVID-19 pandemic hit Pettirossi airport is one of the most modern We also have a growing range of luxury
South America, we had already started duty free stores in the region. The store and lifestyle brands, and this makes
construction work at the airport. Obviously, has a very innovative design, the very us stand out from other retailers in the
the closure of the airport put a stop to any latest technology, great screens, and a great region.”
construction work that was happening, sound system. It has everything that creates The store’s most important customers
and we had to stop our immediate plans,” a unique shopping experience for the from outside the country are travelers from
Betancur explains. customer,” he says. Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina.
When the Paraguayan government The walk-through store has been “Clearly, Paraguayans are the biggest
began to relax restrictions and reopened designed with personalized attention in single group. However, it is fair to say
the airport, Top Brands was able to restart each zone and with a unique experience in that our whole selection of products
the project, but was faced with myriad each category area. and categories are targeted to these four
challenges. “We want the walk through the store nationalities,” says Betancur.
The project was badly affected by to be enjoyable and different. There are

ASUTIL Special Issue June 2023 14