Recruitment of Consigned Operators for Dongjak Youth Cafe

Applications open until the 26th for individuals aged 19 to 39 or organizations led by youth; selection through 1st document screening and 2nd interview based on highest scores; 2-year operation period with 2-year renewal; customized interior reflecting youth operators' opinions, plus support for marketing, promotion, and cafe management consulting.

Bird's-eye view of Dongjak Youth Cafe

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Dongjak-gu (Mayor Changwoo Lee) is recruiting a consigned operator for the Dongjak Youth Cafe, which will serve as a catalyst for creating a cafe culture street in the Bon-dong area, until the 26th.

'Dongjak Youth Cafe' is a primer project for creating a cafe culture street in Bon-dong, part of the Bon-dong Urban Regeneration New Deal project. The building, formerly the Gangnam-gu Senior Center, which has been abandoned for over 10 years, is being remodeled and is scheduled to be completed this month.

The facility covers a total floor area of 227㎡, with one basement floor and two above-ground floors. The first floor consists of a cafe and a Han River viewing deck, while the second floor includes a cafe and a small performance hall. After selecting the operator, a customized interior reflecting the opinions of young operators will be carried out by June.

To discover the optimal cafe operator, the district selects prospective entrepreneurs through a public contest, providing young people who wish to start a distinctive cafe with the opportunity to gain experience in cafe operation while helping them establish a foundation for independence.

The selected cafe operator will be provided with the cafe space and manufacturing equipment such as coffee machines. Additionally, through an expert advisory group, they will receive training in operational techniques and consulting in specialized fields including marketing, promotion, management, and taxation to support stable business establishment.

The youth cafe operation will begin after July this year, with an operation period of two years. The operator will manage all aspects necessary for building and cafe operation. Based on a comprehensive evaluation of profitability and other factors every six months, a two-year contract extension is possible.

Applicants must be young people aged 19 to 39 as of the announcement date or organizations whose representatives are young people. They must be prospective entrepreneurs who are not currently operating a cafe as of the announcement date.

Operators will be selected in order of highest scores through document screening by external experts, presentation of operation plans (PPT), Q&A, and interviews by a screening committee. The final selected candidates will be announced in May.

Youth wishing to apply should complete the application form, business plan, and other required documents and submit them by April 26 either by visiting the Economic Promotion Division of Dongjak-gu Office (9th floor, Yuhan Yanghaeng Building, 74 Noryangjin-ro) or by email (blueyim2@dongjak.go.kr).

For more details, inquiries can be made to the Economic Promotion Division of Dongjak-gu Office.

Kim Jungwon, head of the Economic Promotion Division, said, “The creation and operation of the Dongjak Youth Cafe will serve as a driving force to develop the Bon-dong area into a cafe culture street and is expected to inject vitality into the city through the influx of outsiders. We ask for the interest and participation of prospective entrepreneurs who want to operate distinctive cafes.”

Meanwhile, there are plans to expand the project by additionally creating four cafe culture spaces to establish a sustainable cafe culture street foundation.