Spanx founder celebrates opening of Atlanta airport store

Atlanta entrepreneur Sara Blakely celebrated the opening of the first airport Spanx store with a hosiery ribbon-cutting event at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport on Thursday.

The store, which opened in October, is one of the first free-standing Spanx stores. In the past couple of months Spanx has opened three other shops — in Tysons Corner, Virg., King of Prussia, Pa. and in Paramus, N.J. — to sell its shapewear. Another airport Spanx store is planned for Detroit Metro Airport’s McNamara Terminal.

Spanx targets a fast-growing airport customer segment — female business travelers, according to Gregg Paradies, chief executive of The Paradies Shops. Atlanta-based Paradies Shops operates and manages the Spanx store, which opened as part of a massive overhaul of concessions at the Atlanta airport.