Boise Airport Meets Boise’s Magazine
By Amy Larson, Photo Courtesy of the Boise Airport and Thinkstock
It seems like nearly every other day, Boise makes a top-ten list for something. From families to music festivals to craft beer to hot yoga, Boise, Idaho is more than a nice place to visit—it’s a lifestyle choice. What better way to introduce visitors to our unique culture than to make the Boise airport more Boise?
That’s exactly the question Paradies Stores Vice President Rick Lillie and General Manager Josh LeBlanc asked when they decided to upgrade the airport’s 12-year old Boise River Marketplace.
“We didn’t want people to walk into the airport and see a national brand. That won’t connect them with the city,” LeBlanc explained. “Rick is a facilitator who wants to focus on local businesses and local themes, while I’m a native who grew up south of Boise. He came to me for ideas.”
As they identified Boise businesses that could create quality partnerships, Greenbelt Magazine’s slogan “It’s a Boise Thing!” stood out from the pack.
“We liked it,” LeBlanc said, “and we liked the magazine. When Rick Lillie asked me what Boise’s themes were, I told him it’s an outdoor activity community with a lot of biking, and that there was the Greenbelt. The magazine’s name connected, and so did its slogan.”
Lillie contacted Idaho Media Publishing owner Tia Markland-Crabtree to discuss what a partnership based on the magazine’s key themes might look like. They decided to officially make it a “Boise Thing” by incorporating the magazine and replacing the Boise River Marketplace with the Greenbelt Magazine Store.
“Tia was very creative, offering a variety of ideas,” LeBlanc said. “We’ll be planning and working with those ideas until April, when the remodel begins, and then the store will reopen in July.”
The Greenbelt Magazine Store will be one of five Paradies retail venues at the Boise Airport, joined by the two existing CNBC stores, 94.9 The River Store, and the Idaho Statesman Store.
As the largest retail establishment in the Boise airport, located near the TSA checkpoint, the Paradies Shops-Greenbelt Magazine partnership will focus on Boise’s cycling, music, local business, and interesting, influential people. The prime location is expected to generate over 2.5 million new impressions for Greenbelt Magazine, with “It’s a Boise Thing!” front and center.
“The store will create a ‘sense of place’, which was The Paradies Shops’ mission, and become a huge resource for visitors to our community,” said Markland-Crabtree. “The overall theme is based on conservation of land, Idaho and Boise parks, outdoor life, and much more. Our main goal is to bring exposure to the Boise lifestyle through the store and with the magazine.”
Greenbelt Magazine and “It’s a Boise Thing!” are two nationally trademarked brands, and the store will showcase community culture both through its design and through showcasing local vendors like the Boise Co-op, Idaho Candy Company, Split Rail Winery, Weiser Classic Candy, and Williamson’s.
LeBlanc and Lillie are excited by the possibilities. “You’ll see our basics: magazines, books, an assortment of snacks, health, beauty, and electronics, but we’ll continue to add local vendors to the expanded store, and we’re taking it to the next level with interactive displays and a better representation of the community.”
Who knows? Maybe the next list Boise tops will be Ten Best Airports to Buy Local.
