CU, a convenience store operated by BGF Retail, said on the 3rd it will open a signature store with a "Running Station" concept near the Han River in Yeouido, Seoul. The first CU Running Station signature store, Hangang Renaissance Yeouido No. 3, is a complex platform-style convenience store that combines convenience facilities and specialized gear for runners, rest and experiences, and community functions.
The first floor is a function-focused area that helps runners prepare and recover and an all-in-one zone that brings together running-related products. Unmanned lockers for storing belongings before and after runs have been installed to improve convenience, and running products are operated in a separate, dedicated curation zone.
The second floor is a running culture space that combines rest, experiences, and community functions. Along with changing rooms, it offers a rest zone and powder room for post-run refresh.
Experience zones and collaboration spaces in partnership with sports brands are also operated. A popup zone for the outdoor performance wearable brand "Hypershell" lets runners try items on themselves, and a program is available for lending by the hour. Participation in programs linked with the running platform "Runday" is also possible.
Starting with this store, CU plans to sequentially expand 18 stores near Han River parks—including Magok, Mangwon, Yeouido, Banpo, Jamsil, and Ttukseom—into Running Stations, building a running hub network centered on the Han River belt.
Lee Eun-gwan, head of the CX Division at BGF Retail, said, "Convenience stores will present a new model that evolves beyond everyday consumption spaces into a life-friendly platform that connects sports and culture."