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Photo = HYBE |
[Alpha Biz= Kim Minyoung] Retailers around Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul are preparing for a surge of visitors ahead of a comeback concert by BTS scheduled for March 21, with some stores temporarily closing while others stock up on inventory to capture the expected boost in sales.
According to the retail industry on March 15, convenience stores near the venue are securing large quantities of products and increasing staffing levels. CU convenience store brand plans to stock key items at nearby stores at up to 100 times normal levels and deploy additional staff.
GS25 convenience store brand will supply 160 stores near the concert area with large quantities of alcohol, bottled water, ready-to-eat meals, picnic mats, and phone chargers—items expected to be in high demand among concertgoers. 7-Eleven convenience store brand and Emart24 convenience store brand will also install extra outdoor sales counters and POS terminals, preparing for demand for popular products among foreign visitors such as banana-flavored milk and instant noodles.
Some retailers are temporarily closing stores for safety reasons. CJ Olive Young will close four stores near the square on the day of the event and shorten operating hours at three nearby locations. Starbucks will also shut two outlets—Reserve Gwanghwamun and KT Gwanghwamun West B1F—because the KT Gwanghwamun West building will be closed.
Department stores are strengthening safety measures as well. Shinsegae Department Store has doubled its internal security staff at its Seoul flagship store, where a BTS pop-up event is underway, and plans to install folding fences and barriers at Shinsegae Square. Lotte Department Store is also increasing security personnel and updating emergency response procedures at its Myeong-dong flagship store.
Police expect up to 260,000 people to gather around Gwanghwamun Square on the day of the concert.
AlphaBIZ Kim Minyoung(kimmy@alphabiz.co.kr)
