Cleveland's Airport Is An Entrepreneurial Launching Point

Flight delays at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport are about to get more enjoyable. Fraport USA, which handles retail and dining options in the airport, has introduced Launch Pad, a program that helps local entrepreneurs open up businesses in airports. The first of these businesses is Aircuts & Day Spa, a barbershop and salon where flyers can freshen up before their final destinations. Fraport Cleveland vice president Tina LaForte fills us in on the high-flyer program. 

Q: Why did Fraport’s Launch Pad program come to Cleveland?
A: It’s really to create opportunities for area businesses and startups and partner with them to bring the authentic culture of the region into the airport. For [travelers], it helps to show what the region or city of Cleveland has to offer. So you can kind of get a feel of Cleveland from being [at the airport].

Q: How does Fraport stay involved after businesses launch?
A: We’re here to support any location that we have here, sharing passenger data with them so they can better staff for the business that they can expect throughout the day. [With Aircuts], we have a mentorship program that we put in place where we meet on a regular basis to talk about how we can build sales and what opportunities we see.  

Q: What other LaunchPad shops are on the horizon?
A: It could be local souvenirs. It could be jewelry. It could be body or hair care products — any of those things tend to do really well in an airport. Cookies and popcorn could be successful, too. We’ll continue to look for those Launch Pad-type locations [like AirCuts] where we can continue to grow the local piece of it.