The new Books Inc. store in Terminal 2 of
the San Francisco International Airport, which uses the company's Compass
brand, opened last Thursday, and "business has been great, so we're quite
pleased and relieved," owner Michael Tucker said.
The terminal is the old International Terminal, which was remodeled and converted to domestic operations, now serving Virgin America and American Airlines. For the store, Tucker commissioned a young sculptor to make "a somewhat deconstructed letterpress press for the front corner of the store along with a broadside homage to TYPE." The store also has video monitors to show book trailers "for travelers in a hurry" and is "the first thing you see when you come through security," Tucker added.
The Terminal had unusual unveiling: on Saturday, April 9, the day before TSA secured it, the building was open to the public. Nearly 20,000 people came out for food and entertainment.
There is another Compass store in Terminal 3 and one in Disneyland. Books Inc. has nine stores in the Bay Area.