MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Feb. 28 2019) – Winning in the retail world has become just as much a habit for Dale Earnhardt Jr. as it was on the race track during his storied NASCAR career. For the third straight year, Earnhardt Jr.’s Whisky River bar and restaurant has won big in the Airport Experience News & USAToday 10best.com Awards, sweeping the three categories the franchise was nominated in.
The Whisky River inside Raleigh-Durham International Airport, which opened in 2018, won for Best Airport Bar and for Best Airport Bar/Restaurant Atmosphere. The Best Airport Sitdown Dining award went to the Whisky River location at Charlotte Douglas International Airport.
That’s a sweep, folks.
“It’s the first time the Raleigh-Durham location has been nominated, because they opened in 2018, and they won both awards,” said J.R. Rhodes, director of entertainment and brand manager for Whisky River. “It’s the third in the last four years for the Charlotte Douglas location, which is the flagship of the airport stores.”
The continued success among travelers—who voted online for the winners—is satisfying to Rhodes, who oversees the growing list of Whisky River locations.
“When we started this concept 11 years ago, it was to prove out our business model,” Rhodes said. “Our partnership with HMSHost, the leader in the airport hospitality arena worldwide, provided us a solid base to grow that concept and the travelers have taken notice. They have a choice when they’re flying through North Carolina, and the choice they’re making is Whisky River.”
Rhodes noted that Charlotte Douglas International is in the top 10 among most-traveled airports in the United States and experience record numbers of travelers in 2018.
“The airport administrators do a great job for us, and HMSHost provides great teamwork for us to grow Dale Jr.’s Whisky River as a brand and as a place people want to go and relax, eat great food and enjoy a relaxed atmosphere.”
HMSHost also scored in two other categories at the annual awards presentation.