Travel
Lotte Department Store Busan main branch marks 30 years with grand customer appreciation festival
haps Magazine Korea
April 3, 2025
(Lotte Shopping)
Lotte Department Store Busan Main Branch, which opened in December 1995 and quickly became a landmark in the local retail scene, is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.
In honor of the milestone, the store is hosting a large-scale “Customer Appreciation Festival” to thank customers for three decades of loyalty and support. The celebration includes major discount events, special promotions, and community engagement programs.
Originally built on the former site of Busan Commercial High School in Bujeon-dong, Busanjin-gu, Lotte Busan Main Branch opened after more than three years of construction.
It made headlines at the time as Lotte’s first department store outside of the Seoul metropolitan area. On opening day alone, over 250,000 visitors walked through its doors, generating more than 3 billion won in sales—a record-breaking figure that accounted for 60% of the total daily sales among all department stores in Busan at the time.
The department store revolutionized the local retail landscape by introducing a mixed-use concept with shopping, dining, and entertainment all under one roof.
It also created approximately 5,300 new jobs, including 3,000 sales staff. An iconic feature at the time was its fleet of 34 “department store shuttle buses,” which transported an average of 9,000 customers daily—a unique offering that has since become a part of the store’s nostalgic legacy.
In 2000, the store expanded its entertainment offerings with the opening of Lotte Cinema, featuring 12 screens and 2,500 seats.
Further expansion in 2017 increased the total floor area to 194,000㎡, and introduced over 150 new brands, including luxury names at the Avenuel luxury goods mall. By 2019, the branch had hit annual sales of 1 trillion won, cementing its status as a shopping and tourism hub in Busan.
To commemorate the anniversary, the store is running a 10-day celebration from April 4 to 13. Shoppers can enjoy special discounts and perks, including exclusive offers from 50 longtime partner brands and limited-edition products at nostalgic price points—such as scarves for 3,000 won and a curated selection of “30-themed” whiskeys like Ballantine’s 30-Year-Old.
Customers who make purchases during the event will receive retro snack sets in collaboration with Lotte Welfood. The store will also host a fan meet-and-greet event and a customer story campaign, where memories from the past 30 years will be displayed on the store’s outdoor digital billboard. Customers born in 1995—the same year as the store’s opening—can enjoy additional gift certificate giveaways.
The festivities are not limited to the department store itself. Local organizations such as the Seomyeon Merchants Association and the Medical Street Medical Tourism Association are joining in the celebration, while nearby affiliates like Lotte Hotel Busan will offer joint promotions, further highlighting Lotte’s continued commitment to the local community.