Remember the snowstorm that dumped two feet of snow on Colorado, closing the nation’s fifth largest airport, Denver International Airport (DIA) the week before Christmas, 2006?
Maya Willis, General Manager of Hudson Group’s operations at DIA, remembers it all too clearly.
"All the highways to the airport were closed, and the snow just kept on coming," said Willis.
In the terminals, where Hudson operates nine stores (four bookstores and five newsstands), the morning shift of Maya and 28 employees (including one mother-to-be), were stranded at the airport over Wednesday night. They worked late, camped out on the floor in the Hudson offices, then got up and went back to work at 4:30 a.m. Thursday, where they spent the day serving thousands of stranded travelers. Big sellers were bottled water, snacks, health and beauty aids, and reading materials (magazines and books) to help frustrated passengers pass the long, weary hours of waiting for the airport to reopen.
During the emergency, some 3,000 flights to Denver were canceled or diverted, ruining holiday travel plans for some 4,700 passengers - as well as the hearty and helpful band of Hudson’s finest.
To add insult to injury, another powerful storm was bearing down on the region as of Thursday, December 28, even as the city and its residents struggled to dig themselves out from the previous week’s storm.
For Maya Willis and her willing band, it was déjà vu all over again, as they restocked shelves and counters in preparation for another strong dose of whatever Mother Nature holds in store for them.
Following is a list of the Denver team:
These people are living proof of the old Hudson saying, "When things are at their worst, we are at our best." Way to go, Maya and team!
About Hudson Group: Hudson Group is a travel retail specialist that operates more than 550 premier newsstands, bookstores, cafes and specialty retail shops in 69 airports and transportation terminals throughout North America. The company's flagship concept, Hudson News, is North America's only national newsstand brand. Under the familiar blue sign can be found the most complete selection of magazines in the aviation industry, along with newspapers and a wide variety of travelers' necessities, snacks and bottled soft drinks. Hudson Group's other concepts include such proprietary brands as Hudson Booksellers, Kids Works and Euro Café. Other national brands partnering with Hudson Group include Crabtree & Evelyn, Godiva Chocolatier, House of Blues, Life is good, Quiznos and Sunglass Hut. For more information, visit www.hudsongroup.com.