By Dr. June
NASHVILLE, TN — Four years ago, history was made when the state’s prominent African American newspaper, The Tennessee Tribune, led by its founder Rosetta Miller-Perry, partnered with Skyport Hospitality and Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) owner/operator Jennifer Winchester, to open the first of two Tennessee Tribune retail stores at the Nashville International Airport (BNA).
At the time, 432 applications were submitted for space consideration, and The Tennessee Tribune successfully acquired two of the 90 properties slated for development. With more than 3,000 square feet of real estate between two locations, The Tennessee Tribune Stores brought a unique approach to the airport’s marketplace providing a focus on promotion and support of local diverse suppliers and small businesses in the state of Tennessee.
The Tribune Stores are part of BNAs innovative concession spaces created for retail shops, restaurants, service outlets and common use areas for seating and entertainment. As passenger traffic has continued to increase, Miller-Perry and her daughter, Associate Publisher Wanda Miller-Benson, have intentionally focused on being part of the visible transformation that allow passengers to experience the rich and diverse culture of Music City.
After working with Skyport Hospitality, BNA executives and staff and Chaux Consulting, The Tennessee Tribune Stores have repeatedly made history year-after-year since inception by providing retail opportunities for more than 120 small, minority-owned business products, successfully competing with major brands such as Coke, Pure Leaf Tea, Frito Lay, M&M Mars, apparel and souvenir providers and more.
Suppliers include ready-to-drink beverages, candles, apparel, coffee, souvenirs, food, sports memorabilia, wine and spirits, fine art collectibles, literary works by local authors, snacks, and many other gift shop favorites. The Tennessee Tribune Stores have curated top notch diverse suppliers to participate in supply chain and retail sales such as Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey, Kandles by Kierra, Bryla J. Couture and Winfrey Family Foods, to name a few. These distinguished brands represent the diversity that Miller-Perry and Miller-Benson are bringing to BNA.
“We are grateful and amazed by the impactful platform created by Rosetta Miller-Perry and Wanda Miller-Benson,” said Karla Winfrey of Winfrey Family Foods. “The Tennessee Tribune Stores have helped to facilitate the entry of diverse suppliers into BNA.”
This new concept is an on-going development by Miller-Perry and Miller-Benson highlighting diverse suppliers and has not quite been seen like this in any other airport in the nation. The premise honors the work of Miller-Perry and The Tennessee Tribune’s 30-plus-year family legacy on serving the community and caring for others.
More than 540 commercial flights depart BNA daily with 75 of those being non-stop destinations. BNA continues to break passenger records with more than 21.9 million travelers visiting each year – making BNA one of the fastest growing airports in North America. The Tennessee Tribune Stores are in the Southwest Airlines hub. The Tennessee Tribune Store’s diverse suppliers, selected by Miller-Perry and Miller-Benson at the recommendation of Chaux Consulting, have consistently ranked as top 10 performers for highest sales and most units sold in the stores.
To shop online for some of the diverse suppliers, please go to www.TheTennesseTribuneStore.com.
