What’s the Story Behind Mapo-gu Reviving Alley Markets Through the ‘Neighborhood Store Artterior’ Project?

Mapo-gu Secures Budget of Over 150 Million KRW to Support Design Improvement Costs for 40 Stores... Store Atmosphere Revitalized with Help from 15 Talented Local Artists, Leading to Increased Sales

The transformed store appearance through the Our Neighborhood Store Artterior project

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Mapo-gu (Mayor Yudonggyun) has improved the design of 40 stores in the Hongdae alleys and around the Mangwon Retention Basin commercial area through the ‘Our Neighborhood Store Artterior’ project.

‘Our Neighborhood Store Artterior (Art + Interior)’ is a project that matches local artists with stores operated by small business owners to support the improvement of interior and exterior designs of stores. Its main goal is to create private sector jobs in the arts field, which has limited opportunities for social participation, and to revitalize local commercial districts that have been depressed due to COVID-19.

To this end, the district actively participated in the Seoul city public contest project and secured a budget of about 150 million KRW, selecting Nanuri Social Cooperative as the executing agency to oversee the project.

Additionally, 15 local artists who will directly carry out the design projects and 40 small stores around the Hongdae alleys and Mangwon Retention Basin were selected, providing up to 1 million KRW per store for design improvement costs.

Based on this, various works were carried out, including the production of signboards, shopping bags, and menus tailored to the characteristics of each commercial district store, murals, and entrance maintenance.

In particular, one of the participating stores attracted attention with a unique design that matched the store name through the creation of a photo spot using briquettes and mural work.

One of the store owners who received support through this project, Lee Hee-jung (pseudonym), said, “During the difficult times when circumstances worsened due to COVID-19, the district office’s Artterior project brightened the atmosphere of my store. The customers’ reactions were good, which encouraged me as a store operator and gave me a chance to refocus.”

Yudonggyun, Mayor of Mapo-gu, said, “To breathe new life into the local small business owners and alley commercial districts struggling due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, we will continue to do our best to prepare various support measures, including efforts to secure budgets.”