Opening of Nowon-gu Youth Store Branches 3 to 6

Branches 3-6, Private Shops for Rent in Gongneung-dong Noodle Street... Deposit, Remodeling, Monthly Rent Support... Ideas Shine with Eco-friendly Product Sales, Multi-purpose Cultural & Art Spaces, Coding Classes, and More

Youth Store No.3 Eco-friendly Product Shop

Youth Store No.5 Design Studio

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Nowon-gu (Mayor Oh Seung-rok) has opened Nowon-gu Youth Stores No. 3 to 6.

The Nowon-gu Youth Store project is an initiative to encourage young people’s entrepreneurial challenges and help them build a foundation for independence. It provides young people with an opportunity to gauge market reactions to the products or services they have prepared before officially opening a store, aiming to reduce the burden of high deposits and facility investment costs.

After the first and second youth stores, established in public facilities in February, received great responses, the district tried a new approach this time by leasing private commercial spaces to support the stores.

To secure diversity in youth entrepreneurship, applicants operating items other than cafes and food services were recruited in April. As a result, businesses showcasing young people’s ideas, such as gift shops, youth complex art spaces, and coding academies, were finally selected.

The selected youth stores receive full support for deposits, 50% of monthly rent for one year, and remodeling costs. Additionally, basic education on taxation, accounting, and startup consulting necessary for entrepreneurship was provided. Expert mentoring will also be continuously offered to help the youth store experience lead to actual startups.

The district expects that the four youth stores opening this time, gathered in Gureung-dong Noodle Street (Gureung 1-dong), will play a role as a catalyst for revitalizing the local economy and creating youth cultural spaces through synergy effects.

First, Store No. 3, “Dokkaebinu,” sells eco-friendly soaps and zero-waste products and offers making classes. Store No. 4, “Ordinary Art Lab Chacha X Gallery Jiwonssi,” is a complex cultural and artistic space consisting of a self-studio and exhibition hall. Stores No. 3 and 4 are located on the first and second floors of the same building (5 Dongil-ro 191ga-gil).

Store No. 5 (23 Dongil-ro 179-gil), “Studio Fireworks,” is a design studio that supports the production and exhibition planning of works by local young designers. Lastly, Store No. 6 (15 Dongil-ro 179-gil), “Makeplace Taki,” is a coding academy focusing on autonomous vehicle software coding and kit production.

Along with this, the district is promoting various projects to help young people enter society, such as the “Youth Work Experience Support Project,” which connects unemployed youth with local workplaces and provides practical experience and education allowances, and the “Nowon-type Youth Job Project,” which discovers and offers jobs suited to local characteristics. The district also operates the “Seoul Youth Center Nowon Orang,” a youth exchange space that supports community activities and counseling programs.

Mayor Oh Seung-rok said, “The ‘Nowon Youth Store’ is significant in that it provides an opportunity for young people to experiment with various ideas with small capital,” adding, “We will continue to do our best to help young people demonstrate their capabilities through various Nowon-type youth support projects.”