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Melt Shop signs first airport deal

April 9, 2019

Melt Shop has signed its first two airport agreement, in tandem with Skyport Hospitality, a concessionaire with operations in Denver, Pittsburgh, New York, Cleveland and Nashville. Melt Shop and Skyport will open units in John F. Kennedy International Airport's Terminal Five and in the main food court of Pittsburgh International Airport. Both operations will open by the end of the year, according to a company press release.

"We strongly believe that busy airports present an ideal opportunity for our brand and we're excited to open our first two in New York and Pittsburgh later this year," Josh Morgan, COO of Melt Shop, said in the release. "Airports are now spending a great deal of time and money to enhance and curate better food and beverage options. Melt Shop is a perfect fit with this new direction and our food quality combined with rapid ticket times will resonate well with leisure and business travelers."

Melt Shop's agreement with Skyport Hospitality comes on the heels of a successful first quarter that included a partnership with VillaRestaurant Group and the opening of the company's newest restaurant in Manhattan's Union Square. It will open five restaurants by the end of the year and has more than 30 in the pipeline, according to the release.

"We were drawn to Melt Shop after tasting their incredible food," Dave Willner, COO of Skyport Hospitality, said in the release. "As we got to know the team, brand history, and operational standards, we immediately knew that this would be a collaboration that could help our company's central mission — to elevate what it means to eat and drink in an airport.  We are thrilled to be a part of the first-ever Melt Shop in an airport setting, and we look forward to continued expansion with this great brand."

In addition to expanding in airports, Melt Shop is propelling its nontraditional growth by opening in malls throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. More than half of Melt Shop's restaurants operate from nontraditional spaces. 

To drive growth, the brand is seeking well-capitalized multi-unit franchisees in New York, the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest regions and Florida, who are entrepreneurial and have a strong knowledge of their markets, according to the release.

Since launching franchising in September 2017, Melt Shop remains ahead of its goal to open 100 locations by 2023.