103: Chapter 104 Yeouido Strategy

Park Seong-ho saw Qian Xu and Kim Min-jun to the door.

"Chairman Qian, I will think about it seriously."

"Good."

Qian Xu nodded.

"I'll wait for your news."

The two walked out of Lotte Mart.

Kim Min-jun looked at him.

"Mr. Qian, do you think he will come?"

"He will."

Qian Xu was very certain.

"But it will take time."

"He has worked at Lotte for over a decade."

"Changing jobs is no small matter."

"Let him think it through."

Kim Min-jun nodded.

"Then, for the manager of Store No. 2..."

"Let the deputy manager of Store No. 1 fill in for now," Qian Xu said.

"It would be best if Park Seong-ho comes."

"If he doesn't, we have backup plans."

His phone vibrated.

It was a system notification.

Qian Xu opened it.

[Supplier Game Completed]

[Direct Farm Contracts: 12]

[China Direct Sourcing: Stable Supply]

[Supply Chain Stability: S-Grade]

He smiled and put his phone away.

"Let's go."

"We'll go check out Yeouido this afternoon."

"Yeouido?"

Kim Min-jun was stunned for a moment.

"Yes," Qian Xu nodded.

"For the location of Store No. 3."

"I thought about it all night."

"Hongdae is a gathering place for young people."

"But white-collar workers are the main consumer force."

"Yeouido is the financial center of Seoul."

"Banks, securities firms, and headquarters of large corporations are all there."

"There are many white-collar workers."

"Their purchasing power is strong."

"Plus, there are no large supermarkets."

"The market is a blank slate."

Kim Min-jun's eyes lit up.

"Mr. Qian, you are right."

"Yeouido is indeed a good place."

"But the rent..."

"It won't be cheap."

"I know," Qian Xu smiled.

"But it's worth it."

"Let's go."

"Let's take a look."

Two in the afternoon.

Yeouido.

The Manhattan of Seoul.

Skyscrapers stood tall.

The streets were clean.

The roads were filled with white-collar workers in suits, rushing about.

Qian Xu and Kim Min-jun stood at the entrance of Yeouido Park, looking at the surrounding office buildings.

"What is the average daily foot traffic here?" Qian Xu asked.

"About 300,000 people on weekdays," Kim Min-jun said.

"Most of them are white-collar workers."

"It's less on weekends, but still around 100,000."

Qian Xu nodded.

"Is there a suitable location?"

"Yes."

Kim Min-jun pulled up his tablet.

"500 meters ahead."

"There is a new office building."

"It was just completed."

"There is a storefront for rent on the first floor."

"The area is 600 square meters."

"The ceiling height is 5 meters."

"It can be made into two floors."

The two walked to the office building.

It had a glass curtain wall and felt very modern.

The ground-floor storefront was empty, with a "For Rent" sign posted on the door.

"Shall we go in and take a look?" Kim Min-jun asked.

"Good," Qian Xu nodded.

The two walked inside.

It was an open space.

The floor-to-ceiling windows provided excellent lighting, and one could see Yeouido Park outside.

"The location is not bad," Qian Xu looked around.

"But the area is a bit small."

"600 square meters."

"It's not enough for a supermarket."

"We could make it a boutique supermarket," Kim Min-jun said.

"Focusing on imported food, as well as bento boxes and salads."

"Targeted at the white-collar clientele."

Qian Xu thought for a moment.

"That makes sense."

"The Hongdae store is a lifestyle plaza, focusing on volume."

"The Yeouido store will take the boutique route, catering to white-collar lunches and after-work shopping."

His phone vibrated.

It was the landlord calling.

Kim Min-jun answered.

"Hello, we are from Yunmengze."

"Yes, we have seen the storefront."

"Hmm..." He glanced at Qian Xu.

"Okay, I will ask the Chairman."

He hung up the phone.

"The landlord says the monthly rent is 80 million won."

"The deposit is 300 million."

"A three-year contract."

"One month of rent-free period for renovation."

Qian Xu thought for a moment.

"80 million... It's not expensive. Sign it."

Kim Min-jun was stunned.

"Mr. Qian, you aren't going to bargain?"

"No bargaining," Qian Xu smiled.

"This location is worth the price."

"Besides, the sooner we sign it, the better, so we don't get beaten to it by someone else."

Kim Min-jun nodded.

"Okay, I'll contact the landlord to sign the contract immediately."

"Wait," Qian Xu called out to him.

"Don't rush."

"I want to look around the area some more to understand the needs of the white-collar workers."

The two walked out of the office building and walked along the main street of Yeouido.

The road was full of white-collar workers in suits, holding coffee and walking in a hurry.

"Look," Qian Xu pointed to a convenience store by the road.

"It's noon."

"There's a long line at the convenience store."

"The white-collar workers are all buying bento boxes."

Kim Min-jun looked over.

Sure enough, there were more than a dozen people lined up at the entrance of the convenience store, all office workers in suits.

"They don't have time to eat," Qian Xu said.

"They can only buy convenience store bento boxes."

"If we open a boutique supermarket nearby and sell better bento boxes, healthier salads, and fresher fruit, will they come?"

"They will," Kim Min-jun nodded.

"They definitely will."

The two continued walking and passed a coffee shop.

There was a line at the door as well.

"Coffee is also a rigid demand," Qian Xu said.

"We can set up a coffee bar in the supermarket."

"Freshly ground coffee."

"Cheaper than outside."

"The white-collar workers will like it."

Kim Min-jun noted it down on his tablet.

"What else?"

"Also, pre-cut fruit boxes," Qian Xu said.

"Fruit in Korea is expensive."

"White-collar workers are reluctant to buy whole pieces, but the price of cut boxes is moderate."

"They are willing to buy them."

"Also yogurt, nuts, and healthy snacks."

"These are all things white-collar workers like."

The two walked to Yeouido Park and found a bench to sit on.

"Mr. Qian, you think very thoroughly," Kim Min-jun said.

"But the supply chain for a boutique supermarket is different from the Hongdae store."

"The Hongdae store focuses on volume, and the suppliers are farmers and wholesalers."

"A boutique supermarket needs imported food and high-end ingredients."

"The supply chain needs to be rebuilt."

"I know," Qian Xu nodded.

"But there's no need to rush."

"Let's open the store first."

"We can perfect the supply chain slowly."

"Besides, we can import some high-end goods through China Direct Sourcing."

"For example, organic tea, goji berries, and red dates."

"Korean white-collar workers really buy into that."

Kim Min-jun laughed.

"Mr. Qian, you really are a business genius."

"Not a genius," Qian Xu shook his head.

"I've just seen a lot of it in China."

"Pang Donglai, Hema, Sam's Club, they all do it this way."

"I'm just bringing their model to Korea."

His phone vibrated.

It was a message from Park Seong-ho.

Qian Xu opened it.

"Chairman Qian, I've thought it over."

"I'm resigning."

"I'll officially start tomorrow."

Qian Xu smiled and replied, "Good. Welcome to Yunmengze."

He put his phone away and looked at Kim Min-jun.

"Park Seong-ho agreed. He starts tomorrow."

Kim Min-jun was stunned.

"Really?"

"Really," Qian Xu nodded.

"The manager for Store No. 2 is settled. Next is the matter of Store No. 3."

He stood up and looked at the office buildings in the distance.

The sun was setting, and the glass curtain walls reflected the golden light.

"Representative Kim."

"Hmm?"

"Do you think," he said, "a year from now, will the white-collar workers in Yeouido all be eating Yunmengze bento boxes for lunch?"

Kim Min-jun laughed.

"They will. And not just lunch. Fruit after work, ingredients for the weekend—they will all buy them at Yunmengze."

Qian Xu smiled.

"That's good. Let's go. Let's go back and prepare the contract."

The two walked out of Yeouido Park.

The sunset stretched their shadows long.

His phone vibrated again.

It was a message from Ham Eun-jung.

"Mr. Qian, the Korean album recording is finished! All six songs are complete! Do you want to come and listen?"

Qian Xu smiled and replied, "Good. I'll be there soon."

He put his phone away and looked at Kim Min-jun.

"Let's go. To Hongdae. T-ARA's Korean album recording is finished. Let's go listen."

Kim Min-jun laughed.

"Good. I want to go listen too."

The two drove to Hongdae.

On the way, Qian Xu looked out the window.

The office buildings in Yeouido were glistening in the sunset.

He thought to himself: Store No. 3, boutique supermarket, white-collar clientele. Everything is proceeding according to plan.

And all of this is just the beginning.