Over the next two months, as airports give approval for the assignment of the WHSmith leases to the Hudson Group, the bookstores will take on the Hudson name. "Our bookstores are going to be branded Hudson Booksellers. The newsstands will obviously become Hudson News," Hudson executive v-p Joe DiDomizio told PW. "Consumers, especially travelers, have recognized the Hudson name for its comprehensive selection of reading material."
In the spring, Hudson, an affiliate of Hudson News Distributors LLC, began using the new name and phasing out Book Corner. All new bookstores not connected with the deal, including the one about to open at New York's LaGuardia Airport, will be Hudson Booksellers. Currently Hudson operates 40 Hudson Booksellers and Book Corner stores; the typical bookstore averages 1,200 square feet. With the addition of the WHSmith locations, there will be 80 Hudson Booksellers in transportation terminals including New York's Penn Station and Port Authority Bus Terminal.
Mike Joachim, senior v-p of the book division, claimed, "We sell more books in airports than any other company. We're almost opening up an airport [store] every six weeks." In addition to the news stores and bookstores, Hudson has various concept stores, including KidsWorks, Euro Café and Discover theme shops.
