Business

Tennessee Tribune Goes Retail at BNA

THE TENNESSEE TRIBUNE — The Tennessee Tribune will be amongst the new retailers in he newly remodeled BNA International Airport.

Published

7 years ago

February 9, 2019

Oakland Post

By Staff Reports

NASHVILLE, TN — The Tennessee Tribune will be amongst the new retailers in he newly remodeled BNA International Airport. Plans were unveiled at a news conference last week of the partnership between the Nashville International Airport and Fraport USA for its new concessions and retail program. Fraport USA is leading the development and management of 133,000 square feet of concessions space at BNA from February 2019 through January 2029. For the airport’s 16 million annual passengers, the reimagined program will emphasize local flavor and flare.

[/media-credit] Tribune Publisher Rosetta Miller Perry, left, and Vivica M. Brown, Esq., IAP, Vice President, Fraport USA

“The Tennessee Tribune Retail will have a full service retail space providing products of local flavor and uniqueness, as well as national products, that reflect the rich culture and heritage of Nashville,” said Rosetta Miller Perry, Publisher and CEO of the Tribune.

Other establishments include Princes’s Hot Chicken, Tootsies, Slim and Husky’s, Biscuit Love, Max, ACME Feed and Seed and Parnassus. Upon completion, the concessions program will include more than 90 new locations of food and beverage, specialty retail, passenger services, news and gifts and amenities. There were 432 RFP responses that involved months of planning, recruiting and community outreach.

“We have a vision to bring the heart and soul of the region to the concessions program at the Nashville International Airport,” said Ben Zandi, president and CEO of Fraport USA.

Dr. Dexter Samuels, Chair of the BNA Board of Commissioners congratulated the businesses who have shown an interest in participating in the unique and exciting concessions program at BNA. “It is a diverse group of restaurants and retailers that reflect the quality and innovation that make our city successful and inclusive. I applaud Fraport for their proactive customer-centric approach in helping the airport reimagine its concession program and look forward to its resounding success,” said Samuels.

“When we first started the process of revamping the BNA concessions program more than a year ago, we knew we wanted to create a more authentic Nashville experience for our travelers,” said Doug Kreulen, Nashville Internatinal Airport president and CEO. “With that goal in mind, Fraport is committed to delivering a concessions program that features a diverse array of local operators who showcase the best of our city and region. From the moment our customers enter the terminal or step foot off the plane, they will experience the sights, sounds and flavors that make Music City so distinctive.”

The program also brings “street pricing” to BNA—an assurance that customers will pay no more for goods at the airport’s concessions than they would at a comparable location. “We have pulled off the impossible,” said Zandi. “Visitors at BNA will experience the sights, sounds and flavor of Nashville. Dreams have taken flight because this program is iconic, authentic, revolutionary and visionary.”

Bill Freeman, BNA Commissioner said, “I am thrilled the Tennessee Tribune will have a retail store at the airport because I know the Tennessee Tribune will bring distinction, flavor and a level of diverse style to the establishment. Additionally, a plethora of restaurants and retail establishments will represent Nashville quite well.”

“Mrs. Perry has always been a trailblazer and this venture is just another testimony for her actions, and I am looking forward to the new community partnership with Fraport-USA,” said Richard Manson, Tennessee Tribune’s legal counsel. In January, she received the 2019 National Newspaper Publisher Lifetime Achievement Award. She is a tireless fighter for justice, equality and advocate for equity and equality, having been the founder of the Black Chamber of Commerce,” he added.

This new concessions and retail program positions BNA to be a world class airport in a world class city. Fraport USA is the developer and manager of the retail, food and beverage operations at five major airports in the United States, including Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI). A leading airport concessions model in North America, Fraport USA projects rant among the highest for per-passenger spending and consistently receive accolades for innovation and customer service.

The Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority (MNAA) was established in 1970 and owns and operates Nashville International Airport (BNA) and the John C. Tune Airport (JWN). With more than 15.9 million passengers visiting each year, Nashville International Airport is the fourth fastest growing airport among the top 50 airports in North America. BNA serves 460 daily flights to more than 65 nonstop markets. It is the 33rd busiest airport in the U. S.

This article originally appeared in The Tennessee Tribune.

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Oakland Post: Week of February 25 – March 3, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – February 25 – March 3, 2026

Published

4 days ago

March 1, 2026

Oakland Post

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Chase Oakland Community Center Hosts Alley-Oop Accelerator Building Community and Opportunity for Bay Area Entrepreneurs

Over the past three years, the Alley-Oop Accelerator has helped more than 20 Bay Area businesses grow, connect, and gain meaningful exposure. The program combines hands-on training, mentorship, and community-building to help participants navigate the legal, financial, and marketing challenges of small business ownership.

Published

2 weeks ago

February 21, 2026

Oakland Post

Bay Area entrepreneurs attend the Alley-Oop Accelerator, a small business incubation program at Chase Oakland Community Center. Photo by Carla Thomas.

By Carla Thomas

The Golden State Warriors and Chase bank hosted the third annual Alley-Oop Accelerator this month, an empowering eight-week program designed to help Bay Area entrepreneurs bring their visions for business to life.

The initiative kicked off on Feb. 12 at Chase’s Oakland Community Center on Broadway Street, welcoming 15 small business owners who joined a growing network of local innovators working to strengthen the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

At its core, the accelerator is designed to create an ecosystem of collaboration, where local entrepreneurs can learn from one another while accessing the resources of a global financial institution.

“This is our third year in a row working with the Golden State Warriors on the Alley-Oop Accelerator,” said Jaime Garcia, executive director of Chase’s Coaching for Impact team for the West Division. “We’ve already had 20-plus businesses graduate from the program, and we have 15 enrolled this year. The biggest thing about the program is really the community that’s built amongst the business owners — plus the exposure they’re able to get through Chase and the Golden State Warriors.”

According to Garcia, several graduates have gone on to receive vendor contracts with the Warriors and have gained broader recognition through collaborations with JPMorgan Chase.

“A lot of what Chase is trying to do,” Garcia added, “is bring businesses together because what they’ve asked for is an ecosystem, a network where they can connect, grow, and thrive organically.”

This year’s Alley-Oop Accelerator reflects that vision through its comprehensive curriculum and emphasis on practical learning. Participants explore the full spectrum of business essentials including financial management, marketing strategy, and legal compliance, while also preparing for real-world experiences such as pop-up market events.

Each entrepreneur benefits from one-on-one mentoring sessions through Chase’s Coaching for Impact program, which provides complimentary, personalized business consulting.

Garcia described the impact this hands-on approach has had on local small business owners. He recalled one candlemaker, who, after participating in the program, was invited to provide candles as gifts at Chase events.

“We were able to help give that business exposure,” he explained. “But then our team also worked with them on how to access capital to buy inventory and manage operations once those orders started coming in. It’s about preparation. When a hiccup happens, are you ready to handle it?”

The Coaching for Impact initiative, which launched in 2020 in just four cities, has since expanded to 46 nationwide.

“Every business is different,” Garcia said. “That’s why personal coaching matters so much. It’s life-changing.”

Participants in the 2026 program will each receive a $2,500 stipend, funding that Garcia said can make an outsized difference. “It’s amazing what some people can do with just $2,500,” he noted. “It sounds small, but it goes a long way when you have a plan for how to use it.”

For Chase and the Warriors, the Alley-Oop Accelerator represents more than an educational initiative, it’s a pathway to empowerment and economic inclusion. The program continues to foster lasting relationships among the entrepreneurs who, as Garcia put it, “build each other up” through shared growth and opportunity.

“Starting a business is never easy, but with the right support, it becomes possible, and even exhilarating,” said Oscar Lopez, the senior business consultant for Chase in Oakland.