New shops and restaurants continue to open at a steady pace at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP), with 34 of 50 in the first phase of new retail and restaurant concepts now complete.

Openings in the last month:

Inspired Life + Art is a specialty retail store that opened recently near Gate 9 in Terminal 1’s Concourse C. The store features local, regional and global artisan products such as pottery, glass, metal and wood. Wearable art is also offered, including jewelry, scarves and apparel pieces.

Estes Twin Cities News is a convenience and news store that carries magazines, books, snacks and a limited selection of electronics, beverages and gift items. The store is located on Concourse A near Gate 1 in Terminal 1.  

The new MSP Duty Free by Dufy store is now open near the entrance to Concourse G in Terminal 1, next to Stone Arch.

The shop carries a variety of goods available for purchase by both international and domestic travelers, including all your favorite cosmetics and fragrances, as well as international and domestic chocolates and Minnesota-made goods.

The renovated store also has a larger variety of liquors for purchase by international travelers.

The renovated Caribou Coffee near the entrance to Concourse G opened Jan. 21. 

The bright, modern design attracts attention in its corner location and features ample seating.

Travelers who use app-based ride services,such as UberX and Lyft at MSP’s Terminal 1-Lindbergh, are now getting picked up at a new location.

As of January 1, the new pick-up spot for transportation network companies – another name for app-based ride services - moved to the ticketing/upper roadway level outside of Terminal 1.

The pick-up location is on the east side of traffic lanes that pass in front of the terminal, adjacent to the Green and Gold parking ramps.

Pictured: The new pick-up area at Terminal 1-Lindbergh.

To get to that spot, travelers take an escalator or elevator down to Terminal 1’s tram level, follow signs that have them turn left at the information desk, and then go up two levels to catch their ride.

Signs are in place to guide travelers to “app-based ride services.” Permanent signage is also being designed.

Previously, travelers who used UberX or Lyft met their rides on the east commercial roadway near the same area where pre-arranged taxicab and off-site parking services pick up riders.

The new pick-up area for app-based ride services offers a more defined space and easy access for both drivers and riders.

At Terminal 2-Humphrey, the pick-up area for app-based rides is still directly across the street from the front of the terminal on a separate roadway, with signs to guide passengers. 

Two airlines recently announced new nonstop service out of Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP).

Southwest Airlines will add nonstop flights to Nashville beginning June 4.

The airline currently has about 12 percent more seats scheduled out of MSP for the first quarter of 2017 compared to 2016, and 7 percent for the second quarter.

The additional capacity is associated with new service to Baltimore-Washington International Airport that began last April, more seasonal service to Florida destinations in 2017, seasonal Las Vegas service offered from March 9 to April 23, and the Nashville service.

Both the Baltimore-Washington and Nashville nonstops are offered year-round.

Alaska Airlines announced recently that it will add nonstop service to San Francisco starting July 18. Alaska will offer a morning and an afternoon flight each day from MSP to San Francisco.

The flights will be on 76-seat E175 jets operated by SkyWest Airlines.