Seongnam Mayor Shin Sang-jin engaged with local small business owners to strengthen their competitiveness and revitalize commercial districts. On November 7, he visited the '2026 Hip Store Festa' held at Seongnam City Hall Plaza, encouraging participating small business owners and interacting with local merchants and citizens.
This visit is part of a policy initiative aimed at discovering competitive small businesses in the area, promoting their products and services to the public, and injecting vitality into the local economy.
During his visit, Mayor Shin toured various booths showcasing food, bakery items, and craft workshops, observing the diverse offerings and experiential programs presented by local stores.
He specifically sought out selected hip store merchants to offer encouragement and listen to their challenges and suggestions for enhancing the local commercial landscape.
Mayor Shin also greeted citizens attending the event, sharing insights about the local economy.
The event, which took place over two days starting November 6, featured a total of 42 local stores, including those that participated in the hip store auditions over the past three years and previously selected stores.
At the venue, unique products from each store were sold alongside citizen participation programs such as yoga and running, creating a platform for interaction between local small businesses and the community.
The 'hip store' initiative is a commercial revitalization project by Seongnam City aimed at discovering and promoting distinctive stores with local character and competitiveness. Launched in 2024, a total of 21 stores have been selected to date.
Through the hip store initiative, Mayor Shin aims to identify outstanding local businesses, provide them with practical promotional opportunities, and encourage citizens to utilize local commercial areas.
One citizen remarked, “There were not only food options but also experiential programs, making it enjoyable for families. I hope events like this are held more frequently to benefit the local economy.”
Mayor Shin stated, “I will reflect the voices from the field into policies to ensure that Seongnam's competitive stores are known to more citizens, leading to actual sales growth and development.” He added, “I will continue to implement effective support policies to help small businesses operate stably and restore vitality to the local economy.”
* This article has been translated by AI.
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