Basement Level 1 of Centum City Mall Transformed on the 19th
Reborn with Sports, Young Fashion, and Character IPs
Shinsegae Department Store announced on September 21 that it had converted the basement level 1 of Centum City Mall from a duty-free shop to a department store section on the 19th. Following the launch of an 800-pyeong sports shoe specialty zone last December, the store has now opened a new 1,900-pyeong space, equivalent to an entire floor of a large or medium-sized store.
With this renovation, the "Hello Kitty Apple Cafe" and "X Square," a merchandise shop combining Naver Webtoon and popular intellectual properties, have taken prominent spots. Additionally, more than 20 brands, including global names such as Stussy and Supreme at "EE Place," and the premium gymwear brand "Born to Win," have opened in the new space.
The Hello Kitty Apple Cafe is opening for the first time in the Busan area. The entire shop is decorated in a Hello Kitty theme. Signature products include mascot dolls, apple crumb strawberry blended drinks, and vanilla mousse cakes.
Furthermore, "X Square," a merchandise shop bringing together popular subculture intellectual property products, including Naver Webtoon IPs, is being introduced for the first time in Korea. Merchandise from the popular Naver Webtoon "Return of the Mount Hua Sect" is being sold offline for the first time, along with a variety of webtoon-based products such as "Maru is a Puppy" and "Garbage Time."
Other new additions include global intellectual property brand "Miniso Friends," "Deus Ex Machina," which focuses on lifestyle culture such as surfing, and the trendy eyewear brand "Alo." Existing brands such as Ugg, Lush, Umbro, and Dr. Martens have also been newly renovated.
Foreign customer sales at the Centum City branch more than doubled from January to August this year compared to the previous year, attracting more international shoppers. In response, the Centum City branch has strengthened brands favored by foreign customers, such as Tamburins and Gentle Monster. The number of stores offering immediate tax refunds has increased fourfold year-on-year, now totaling around 100.
Park Soonmin, manager of Shinsegae Department Store Centum City, stated, "We are making history with innovative spaces and differentiated content that break the mold of traditional department stores. By offering a unique shopping space encompassing sports, fashion, and intellectual property, we aim to establish ourselves as a Northeast Asian tourism hub visited by both Busan residents and domestic and international tourists."
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