Each district office in Seoul is providing spaces where residents can enjoy coffee and other beverages at affordable prices while engaging in conversations.
Many autonomous districts, including Seongdong-gu, Dongdaemun-gu, Nowon-gu, Eunpyeong-gu, Mapo-gu, Geumcheon-gu, Songpa-gu, and Seocho-gu, have set up coffee shops on the first floors of their district offices.
Meanwhile, Eunpyeong-gu and Geumcheon-gu have attracted attention by turning their coffee shops into job opportunities for senior citizens.
These districts operate coffee shops by hiring seniors who have received barista training to create employment opportunities for the elderly.
Residents can enjoy coffee and other drinks at low prices, while seniors benefit from job opportunities, achieving a win-win effect. Seniors gain a steady income and can also take care of their health in old age.
The pioneer in opening senior-operated coffee shops within district offices is Eunpyeong-gu.
Eunpyeong-gu (District Mayor Kim Mi-kyung) has been operating the ‘Eunmaru Nanum Cafe,’ where seniors serve coffee, on the first floor of the district office since December 2011 during the 5th local government administration.
Currently, four seniors work there, selected through an open recruitment process targeting residents of Eunpyeong-gu aged 60 and above who have completed barista training.
They work in two shifts per day, four hours each, contributing to the creation of jobs for seniors through this project.
The Eunmaru Nanum Cafe sells various types of coffee, tea, juices, as well as bread and cookies. Its operating hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and it is closed on public holidays.
Opening of Senior-Operated Coffee Shop on the First Floor of Geumcheon District Office
Geumcheon-gu (District Mayor Yoo Sung-hoon) recently completed interior renovations and is now operating ‘Hamkke Green Cafe Geumcheon District Office Branch,’ a coffee shop run by seniors on the first floor of the district office.
‘Hamkke Green Cafe,’ operated by the ‘Geumcheon Senior Club,’ is a senior job project aimed at addressing senior employment issues and supporting stable and comfortable lives for the elderly.
The cafe operates from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays, and is closed on Sundays and public holidays.
The cafe offers a variety of beverages including various coffees, fruit juices, and herbal teas, as well as desserts such as sandwiches and toast. It is prepared at affordable prices so that both staff and residents can use it without burden.
The cafe space was recently renovated into a cultural complex in the form of a book cafe in the lobby on the first floor of the district office. Not only staff but also residents can enjoy tea and reading, spending comfortable time there.
Yoo Sung-hoon, Mayor of Geumcheon-gu, said, “We support the second life of seniors and hope this place will become a meeting spot for intergenerational communication and empathy beyond just a cafe. We will provide quality jobs to seniors and socially vulnerable groups to help them become independent and expand social participation.”
The Geumcheon Senior Club, established in June 2019 as a dedicated senior job agency, operates 22 business units including ‘Hamkke Green Cafe’ and ‘Good Store’ (convenience store), providing jobs to 1,505 people. This year, it has created new jobs such as ‘Good Laundry,’ ‘Good Lunchbox,’ and five-day-a-week lunch support at senior centers.
An official from a Seoul autonomous district said, “Creating even one job is very difficult, so the attempt by districts to use coffee shops within district offices as a channel for senior job creation is commendable.”
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