Lotte Department Store is set to unveil a new shopping mall in Cheongnyangni, Seoul, marking its first new location in the city in 15 years. Unlike traditional large shopping centers, this 'compact shopping mall' spans approximately 18,000 square meters, focusing on key brands and experiential content. The strategy aims to capitalize on the increasing demand in the northeastern Seoul market due to redevelopment efforts.
On October 23, Lotte Department Store will open 'Lotte Mall Bellytown Cheongnyangni' in the Lotte Castle SKY-L65 landmark tower in Dongdaemun District. This is the first new store in the Seoul area since the Gimpo Airport location opened in 2011.
Bellytown Cheongnyangni will feature a sales area of about 18,000 square meters, spanning from the basement level to the fourth floor. It will connect to the existing Lotte Department Store in Cheongnyangni and host over 50 brands, with approximately 80% being either first-time entries for retailers or the largest stores in the northeastern market.
Lotte Department Store is focusing on the redevelopment of the Cheongnyangni area and the expansion of transportation networks. More than 30,000 new households are expected to move into nearby areas, including the Cheongnyangni redevelopment district and the Imun and Hwikyung districts, by 2030, which is anticipated to increase demand from younger and family customers.
A key differentiator for the shopping mall is the Lotte Group character 'Bellygom.' A media cube displaying Bellygom videos will be installed at the entrance on the first floor, along with a 5-meter tall Bellygom sculpture in the outdoor plaza.
The shopping space will feature 90 BOSE audio systems to provide different music on each floor, while signature scents from Lotte Department Store, such as 'Plitvice,' will be used in major rest areas. This approach aims to enhance the shopping experience by engaging sight, sound, and smell to encourage longer visits.
The selection of brands is also distinctive. The first floor will include a hand-drip bar from the specialty coffee brand 'Terarosa,' the first Seoul location of the famous Busan bakery 'Gentz Bakery,' and the first store of the liquor specialty shop 'Liquor Locker.'
On the second floor, the first bag and hat specialty store 'Musinsa Bag & Cap Club' will open, along with a running specialty store 'Decathlon' and a beauty store 'Off Beauty.'
The third and fourth floors will cater to family customers, featuring the largest 'Daiso' in Dongdaemun District, the family restaurant 'VIPS,' the largest 'Fun Square' from Bandai Namco Korea, and the kids' theme park 'Bounce.' The global dining brand 'Haidilao' is set to open in November.
On the basement level, directly connected to Cheongnyangni Station, lifestyle stores such as 'Miniso' and 'Nitori' will be available. In December, a 'Musinsa Standard' store of about 2,000 square meters is also expected to open.
This opening aligns with Lotte Department Store's strategy to strengthen its competitiveness in the northeastern Seoul market. Previously, Lotte renovated about 80% of its Nowon store, which saw a 15% increase in sales in the first half of this year compared to the same period last year.
In Cheongnyangni, Lotte has opted to expand its customer base by adding a shopping mall rather than completely renovating the existing department store.
With the opening of Bellytown, Lotte Department Store aims to establish its third 'Lotte Town' in Seoul, following Myeongdong and Jamsil. The fourth floor of the shopping mall will connect to the third floor of the existing department store, and the passageway to Cheongnyangni Station will also be expanded. The main building of the existing Cheongnyangni store will undergo phased renovations.
Kim Si-hwan, the manager of Lotte Department Store Cheongnyangni, stated, "While the scale is compact, we have worked to create 'Lotte Town Bellytown Cheongnyangni' with content stronger than any large shopping mall. We aim to develop Lotte Mall Bellytown Cheongnyangni into the premier next-generation shopping landmark in the northeastern region, connecting current and future customers."
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.