South Korea’s discount store chains are going all-out to attract customers through region-specific store strategies.

Lotte Mart remodeled 22 of its 111 stores nationwide in this format and opened them on a gradual basis during the 2021-2022 period.

For instance, many couples with young children reside around Cheongna International City in Incheon, west of Seoul.

Taking this into consideration, the food section of Lotte Mart’s Cheongna outlet, which reopened after remodeling was completed in October last year, was expanded by 40 per cent to better meet the tastes of young Koreans seeking simple and healthy meals.

To reflect the demand for infant goods, the store also convinced popular children and infant brands to open stores there.

Lotte Mart’s Gimpo Airport branch, which reopened after renovations were completed in August last year, positioned a cave-shaped wine and whisky sales space with a floor space of about 331 square meters in the center of the store.

The space was created based on the consideration that this area has a higher proportion of households with members in their 30s and 40s compared to the national average due to the continuous influx of young people into the nearby Magok-dong.

The discount store chain stressed that the average sales of the 22 remodeled outlets increased by more than 20 per cent compared to before remodeling.

The grocery-strengthening strategy also played a significant role, focused on increasing the space for food while reducing the space for other goods such as clothing and daily necessities aimed at strengthening fresh food-centered “seasonality.”

E-Mart also reopened its Yeonsu store in Incheon at the end of last month after six months of renovations. The neighborhood around the store is home to many families with parents in their 30s and young children.

Against this backdrop, the store was newly decorated as a “town mall” format featuring a variety of tenants related to popular restaurants, entertainment, fashion, lifestyle, and culture.

This story was originally published by J. S. Shin, via Korea Bizwire.