Starbucks dedicates its 9th Community Store in South Korea

Starbucks Korea inaugurated its Hwangudan store as the ninth Community Store in the market on July 11^th, dedicated to preserving national heritage.

In celebration of the new Community Store opening, Starbucks Korea announced plans to donate a total of 1 billion KRW (approximately US$720,000) over the next five years for the preservation of national heritage in partnership with the Korea Heritage Service and the National Trust for Cultural Heritage. This builds on the 1.1 billion KRW (approximately US$800,000) donated by Starbucks Korea for cultural heritage protection since 2015.

A portion of proceeds from Starbucks Hwangudan – 300 KRW (approximately US$0.22) per item –  combined with proceeds from special national heritage preservation products created by Starbucks, will also be donated to support the preservation of national heritage.

“With the opening of our ninth Community Store, we hope to further expand the series of activities that Starbucks has carried out over the past decade for cultural heritage preservation,” said Ryan Sohn, ceo of Starbucks Korea. “We will continue to raise awareness of national heritage preservation across the company and create more opportunities for engagement in these meaningful activities.”

Local Partnerships to Drive Greater Impact

A signing ceremony in honor of the new Community Store and associated partnerships was attended by Ryan Sohn, ceo of Starbucks Korea; Choi Eung-chon, Administrator of the Korea Heritage Service; Kim Jong-kyu, Chairman of the National Trust for Cultural Heritage; Brady Brewer, Starbucks International ceo; and Emmy Kan, president of Starbucks Asia Pacific, along with more than 50 other guests.

Administrator of the Korea Heritage Service, Choi Eung-chon stated, “The collaboration with Starbucks demonstrates a new sustainable model for governance and ESG in the field of national heritage. We hope the new heritage Community Store, will be a place where people and culture come together over coffee.”

National Trust for Cultural Heritage Chairman Kim Jong-kyu said, “We extend our gratitude to Starbucks for their continued support in preserving valuable cultural heritage in Korea. We are committed to ensuring that the significance of Korea’s cultural heritage is passed down to future generations.”

National Heritage Preservation

As part of the agreement with the Korea Heritage Service and the National Trust for Cultural Heritage, Starbucks will also engage in various national heritage preservation activities including:

• Donating Historic Artifacts – Starbucks Korea recently donated three calligraphic works by Oh Se-chang, one of the first 33 national representatives, to the National Trust for Cultural Heritage. With this donation, Starbucks Korea has contributed a total of 10 items to the National Trust for Cultural Heritage. Additionally, since 2015, Starbucks Korea has donated cultural heritage items including calligraphy pieces by Kim Gu, Ahn Chang-ho, and Han Yong-un, to the National Trust for Cultural Heritage.

• Providing Scholarships for Future Leaders – Over the next five years, Starbucks Korea will annually provide academic scholarships to 10 students from the Korea National University of Heritage to support their education and relevant activities.

• Volunteering – Starbucks Korea will expand the scope of its cultural heritage preservation volunteerism to key national heritage sites in Korea, including the five major palaces in Seoul. Over the past 15 years, more than 3,000 partners (employees) have participated in preservation activities at Deoksugung Palace, and more than 1,200 partners have participated in regional cultural heritage preservation activities nationwide.

“With nine Community Stores across the market, supporting causes from inclusion to youth employment, and community development, Starbucks Korea has raised the bar in innovation with an impact,” said Brady Brewer, ceo of Starbucks International. “We are proud to continue supporting initiatives that preserve local and national heritage, celebrating the rich cultural legacy of South Korea.”

Community Stores Globally

Globally, Community Stores are at the heart of Starbucks mission to nurture the limitless possibilities of human connection. These stores are purpose-defined to better support partners, customers and communities in ways that meaningfully drive lasting connection. Store models around the world are inclusive of those providing economic opportunity in underserved communities, to empowering farmers, youth and women and creating relevant programming for the community. Starbucks goal is to reach 1,000 Starbucks Community Stores globally by 2030.