Five new retail shops will open this summer at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport under a program designed to boost small, local and minority-owned businesses.
Operators chosen for the 2023 Launch Pad program include Different Regard, a custom clothing boutique based in Baltimore’s Mount Vernon; Pamper Me Please Travel Spa, based in Laurel; Baltimore journal maker Drama Mama Bookshop; Zaaf, a seller of African-made leather goods, jewelry and clothing; and Abrin Fashion House, maker of handcrafted purses, jewelry and shawls.
The retailers, expected to open by Aug. 5, were picked through a competitive process. They will receive training, certification, mentoring and ongoing business support through the six-year old program, run by Fraport Maryland, the airport’s retail and food and beverage manager, and the Maryland Aviation Administration.
The program also offers small local businesses exposure to an international audience of travelers, said Faraji Whalen-Robinson, vice president of Fraport Maryland.
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