Four restaurants in Pittsburgh International Airport's Airmall will close by the end of the year, but an executive for the company that manages airport concessions said on Friday that replacements are being lined up.
The restaurants to close include O'Brien's Irish Grille & Pub in the center core of the airside terminal, Upper Crust in Concourse C, and Sam Adams locations in Concourses B and C. All are run by SSP America, which has more than 200 restaurants at more than 40 U.S. airports.
Jay Kruisselbrink, vice president of development of Airmall USA, said SSP's lease on the locations expires at the end of the year.
"We worked closely with them to extend their contract here, but it didn't work out. They chose not to renew," he said.
Kruisselbrink said it appeared Pittsburgh no longer fit with SSP's "strategic outlook."
"Typically they manage all of the food and beverage, or at least 50 percent" in airports where they operate, Kruisselbrink said. "Here it's all about competition and choice."
SSP did not return a call seeking comment.
Joe Balsamo, a representative for Service Employees International Union's Pennsylvania Joint Board, said about 60 workers represented by the union will lose their jobs. At a board meeting yesterday, Balsamo asked the Allegheny County Airport Authority to try to help broker a lease extension.
Authority Executive Director Brad Penrod said the authority typically does not "get in the middle" of such negotiations. Board member Rich Stanizzo said he would "see if there's anything we can do."
Kruisselbrink said he hoped to announce new tenants to replace the closing restaurants soon. He would not identify them or say when they might open.
After suffering years of declining sales that mirrored plummeting traffic at Pittsburgh International, Airmall revenues leveled off last year at $56 million, equaling 2009 totals. So far this year, revenue generated by the Airmall's 70 stores and restaurants is up 4 percent year-to-year, Kruisselbrink said.
Sales peaked at $89 million in 2001 but began falling after the airside terminal became off limits to non-passengers following the 9/11 attacks and US Airways gutted local operations after closing its Pittsburgh hub. Still, at $13.45, average per-passenger spending is the second-highest rate among U.S. airports, trailing only New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport.
