Samsung Electronics to Open Mega Offline Store at Gangnam New York Bakery Site

Samsung Electronics is opening a mega flagship store at Gangnam Station in Seoul.

On the 11th, Samsung Electronics announced that it will open a playground concept store called 'Samsung Gangnam' targeting the MZ generation at the former New York Bakery site by the end of next month.

The store will consist of a total of six floors, from basement level 1 to the 5th floor. Samsung Electronics plans to showcase the latest products including mobile devices, TVs, and home appliances, as well as various lifestyles through product connectivity, alongside product sales.

Additionally, company employees will hold monthly sessions to address consumers' questions about work, products, and services. Through a program called 'Off the Record,' they will share behind-the-scenes stories related to products and services, and through a lecture program named 'Sanae Jinmi' (In-house Delicacies), they will share stories related to job preparation and social life, including various in-house activities.

Some analysts interpret this move as a response to Apple's aggressive expansion of Apple Stores in Korea. Previously, Apple opened its 5th Apple Store, 'Apple Gangnam,' in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu. This location is about 1 km in a straight line from Samsung Electronics' Seocho office building.

Regarding this, a Samsung Electronics official stated, "We have been involved since the initial stage of the reconstruction of the building where the store is located in 2018, and the reconstruction began in July 2019," adding, "This is unrelated to Apple's offline store expansion policy."