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Starbucks wants to take the "lucky" route?! I can't believe you opened the store here!

Published: 2026-04-03 Author: World Gafei

Last Updated: 2026/04/03, As an important lifespan, coffee has become a social hard currency. You can also find that coffee shops like to gather around the corner of some residential buildings, and of course there are many coffee shops open downstairs of the office. However, as the most important means of transportation for modern urbanites, there are few coffee shops nearby.

As an important lifespan, coffee has become a social hard currency. You can also find that coffee shops like to gather around the corner of some residential buildings, and of course there are many coffee shops open downstairs of the office. However, as the most important means of transportation for modern urbanites, there are few coffee shops nearby. Recently, Starbucks in South Korea has opened its store in an unusual place, and the giant of the global coffee chain has opened a store into a subway station.

According to South Korean media Pulse News, Starbucks, owned by South Korea's New World Group (Shinsegae Group), has opened a branch at a subway station in Seoul, South Korea, at Gangnam Metro Station, one of the most floating and complex subway stations in South Korea. The station is said to have an average daily passenger volume of 100000 passengers and has as many as 19 Starbucks stores within a radius of about 500m.

Unlike traditional Starbucks, which is famous for its spacious location and its comfortable third space, the Starbucks store is now in the heart and busiest part of Seoul. It aims to attract more consumers and provide fast service to commuters during rush hours. According to Starbucks in South Korea, the location of the store is part of the brand's expansion strategy in the South Korean market.

The relevant staff of the Seoul subway station in South Korea told the media that the Seoul subway does not prohibit passengers from eating in the compartments, but because of the COVID-19 epidemic, passengers are advised not to eat in the subway compartments but to wear masks. It is worth noting that the South Korean government has lifted the outdoor mask order. However, in indoor or enclosed spaces, people still need to follow the requirements of wearing masks.

In fact, this is the only Starbucks store in the subway station. Another Starbucks store, which also operates in subway stations, is located at Canary Wharf Station in London, England. This new concept store, express caf é, has few seats, its size is relatively small, and importantly, even the menu has been greatly simplified, leaving some basic options for consumers to choose from. The simplification of all this is to ensure a faster and more convenient experience for those "buy and go" guests.

With the development of the times, the pace of people's life is accelerated. Some consumers who work in the center of the city are mostly white-collar workers in a hurry. Starbucks has chosen this group of people who consume a lot of coffee each year and have a strong ability to buy coffee.

Starbucks entered the Korean market in 1999 and currently operates 1674 Starbucks stores with sales of 602.1 billion won ($475.8 million) in the first quarter of 2022, up 15 per cent from a year earlier. Emart, the South Korean retailer, is the largest shareholder of Starbucks in South Korea since July last year, with 67.5 per cent.

Photo Source: Internet

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