[Distribution Hot People] MZ Playground 'Door2Seongsu'... "As the Next Convenience Store Model"

Interview with Kim Yujin, Manager of GS Retail Strategy Division

Exploratory Store Beyond Traditional Convenience Stores
Daytime Focus on 'Cafe', Nighttime Aiming for 'Pub'
Over 80% of Main Customers Are in Their 20s and 30s

Yujin Kim, Manager of Strategy Division at GS Retail.

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] "As the meaning of the ‘Door2’ brand, which opens a new path for convenience stores, we are preparing to become a role model for the Next convenience store."

On the afternoon of the 12th, at the GS Retail headquarters in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Kim Yujin, Manager of the Strategy Division, said, "We will continue to create stores that break the existing convenience store formula, like Door2 Seongsu," adding, "There is also an internal opinion that it would be good to increase Door2 stores in a hub form."

Door2 Seongsu is the first store that GS25 launched with the Door2 brand at the forefront. Manager Kim explained, "The criteria for a hot place that the MZ generation (Millennials + Generation Z) thinks of is that it must have a hip interior and abundant new things to enjoy, see, and eat, as well as goods and signature menus worth posting on social media (SNS). We wanted to show that GS25 can also do trendy things well, and we thought Seongsu-dong was the right space to bring that to life."

The secret to Door2 Seongsu's popularity is its exploratory store experience, which could not be experienced in existing convenience stores. Manager Kim emphasized, "There is still a strong perception that convenience stores are purpose-driven spaces where you can quickly buy necessary items nearby," adding, "Door2 Seongsu was designed to arouse curiosity starting from the exterior interior." He continued, "The two doors were made so that coffee and wine stand out respectively when entering, and it provides a spacious dining area and plating props. Inside the store, various products are arranged to allow customers to experience them according to their personal preferences."

Door2 Seongsu aims to be a cafe by day and a pub by night. Manager Kim said, "When the sun sets, the lighting changes from white light to a warm color. Various colored auxiliary lights will also be installed," adding, "During the day, ballads or healing music with a cafe atmosphere play, and at night, fast-beat music with a pub vibe is played."

The main customer base is people in their 20s and 30s and women. Manager Kim smiled, saying, "The average number of visitors on weekdays is 400 to 500 per day, and on weekends about 700 to 800. As of the end of last month, the cumulative number of visitors exceeded 25,000," adding, "More than 80% are in their 20s and 30s, and many women seem to visit to take certification shots with the pretty interior as the background."

GS25 plans to transform Door2 Seongsu focusing on differentiated products. Manager Kim stated, "Door2 Seongsu focuses its shelves on private brand (PB) and core products," adding, "Currently, we are showcasing a Butter Beer pop-up store, and we are planning what to open next. We will introduce various products to customers at intervals of about a month."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.