About The Warren Group

Our History

Where We Started, Where We Are

WNG's first store, Northwest Encounter, opened in 1994 at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac). Today, in partnership with the Hudson Group, WN&G operates across multiple locations, doing business under licenses including Hudson News, Hudson Booksellers, 7-Eleven, Made in Washington, MAC Cosmetics, and Coach.

From a single newsstand to a diversified merchant retail portfolio, WNG's growth is a story of operational excellence, trusted partnerships, and a relentless focus on the customer experience.

Our management expertise in retail and food & beverage has positioned WN&G as a respected operator in one of the country's busiest international airports, with 45+ years of combined supply chain and logistics experience behind every decision.

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At a Glance

WN&G by the Numbers

1994

Founded at Sea-Tac International Airport

24+

Retail Locations in Partnership

45+

Years in Supply Chain Management

Sea-Tac International — Primary Hub

What Drives Us

Our Values

Three principles guide everything we do at Warren's News & Gift.

Relationships

Solid relationships with business partners have been the foundation of our consistent results. We build for the long term — with our clients, vendors, and the communities we serve.

Operational Excellence

Travel retail demands precision. From inventory management to customer flow, we apply operational discipline that delivers results in high-volume, complex environments.

Consistent Results

Our track record speaks for itself. Decades of sustained performance across dozens of retail locations, confirmed by the partnerships and licenses we've maintained and grown.

Licenses & Partnerships

A Diversified Portfolio

Modern Merchant

Hudson News & Hudson Booksellers

Sea-Tac International Airport — flagship merchant retail presence in partnership with the Hudson Group.

Food & Beverage

7-Eleven

Food and beverage concept serving travelers at Sea-Tac International Airport.

Specialty Retail

Made in Washington

Pacific Northwest gifts, foods, and specialty products celebrating Washington State.

Luxury

MAC Cosmetics & Coach

Premium brand licenses operated as part of the WNG merchant retail portfolio at Sea-Tac.

Leadership

The Team

The experienced leadership that built WN&G from the ground up.

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Ardie L Warren

Founder

A graduate of Western Washington University, Ardie Warren founded Warren's News & Gift in 1994, opening the first store — Northwest Encounter — at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. He oversaw the company's growth from a single store to a partnership with interests in over 24 retail locations. Ardie's vision and determination built the foundation upon which The Warren Group operates today.

MW

Marques Warren

President & CEO

Marques Warren is President & CEO of The Warren Group. He earned his B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School of Finance at the University of Pennsylvania. After working as an independent retail operator, Marques rejoined WNG in 2011 and has led the company's expansion into new markets — including Downtown Spirits, Esquin Wine & Spirits, and DBE Loans — building The Warren Group into a diversified retail and financial services enterprise.

Retail Innovation

Technology Leadership

Since 2023, The Warren Group has been at the forefront of autonomous retail innovation. Our Downtown Spirits location — the world's first checkout-free beer, wine, and spirits store powered by Amazon Just Walk Out technology — represents our conviction that technology should serve people, not replace them.

By deploying AI-powered frictionless checkout, we've freed our team from transactional tasks and empowered them to focus entirely on the customer experience: product recommendations, expert guidance, and the kind of human connection that defines great retail.

We're not waiting to see where retail technology goes. We're helping to define it.

"Autonomous technology doesn't replace great retail — it makes room for it."
— Marques Warren, President & CEO

See Downtown Spirits

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#1

World's First Checkout-Free

Beer, Wine & Spirits Store

Powered by Amazon Just Walk Out

About WN&G