"It Finally Feels Like Homeplus": Crowds and Smiles on Reopening Day

▲ The Yuseong branch of Homeplus in Daejeon is packed with customers on the morning of the 13th, its reopening day.

"A tray of eggs for 4,900 won, green onions for 2,900 won, pork shoulder for 8,000 won—I got them for a great price."

Kim, a 54-year-old housewife from Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, met at the Homeplus Yuseong branch on the morning of the 13th, said, "I heard there would big discounts for the reopening day, so I came to shop as soon as it opened, and it's great as expected. It finally feels like Homeplus."

On its reopening day, customer vehicles continuously streamed into the Yuseong branch starting from its opening time at 10:00 AM.

So many people rushed in that the parking lots on the first and second floors filled up in less than an hour.

The interior of the store was also buzzing with an energy that made past suspensions of business and threats of closure feel like a distant memory.

Employees greeting customers after a long time were also working harder than ever to assist shoppers.

The meat display counters, which during the closure crisis were bleakly occupied out of place by general goods like frying pans, were now fully stocked with bright red, fresh beef and pork.

Produce sections featuring watermelons, grapes, bananas, green onions, and potatoes were neatly arranged to tempt consumers' wallets.

In particular, to mark the reopening, a 50% discount event was held across all categories of beef and pork at the meat counter. Meats sold out almost as soon as they were put out, leading to long queues of customers waiting to buy what they missed.

Every time a fresh batch of meat came out, 40 to 50 customers swarmed in at once, reminiscent of an "open run" rush.

An, a 62-year-old from Seo-gu, Daejeon, who bought Hanwoo sirloin worth about 26,000 won at half price, smiled and said, "I'm currently waiting in line for 20 minutes to buy pork as well."

Kim, a 27-year-old also from Seo-gu, Daejeon, stated, "I bought two packs of Hanwoo galbi-sal and salchi-sal, and I think I made a good purchase. I used to frequent Homeplus because of its good product quality and reasonable prices. I'm satisfied that it's open again."

Earlier in early last month, when the store faced the crisis of business suspension, the refrigerated display stands had no items to exhibit, awkwardly holding only frying pans, mugs, and various utensils. However, for today's reopening, a significant portion of food items and goods had returned to their rightful places.

While the seafood section, which had barely managed to maintain its selection with dried filefish and fish jerky, still had many empty spots, various seafood items such as live abalone were placed back on one side of the counter to welcome customers.

Employees were also working up a sweat, busily moving around the store to restock dairy products, eggs, and more onto the empty shelves.

With customers pouring in after a long hiatus, store owners inside the complex also broke into broad smiles as they served customers.

Although parts of the store remained empty due to many businesses having already withdrawn, the remaining vendors greeted the reopening day with high spirits.

Homeplus reopened 67 stores nationwide that had entered temporary closure, including the Daejeon Yuseong branch, starting today.

An official from the Homeplus Yuseong branch stated, "We will do our best to sell high-quality products at affordable prices and ensure the convenience of the customers who visit us. Regarding the empty spaces in various areas, I understand that the headquarters is currently proceeding with contract renewals and new contracts."

(Photo: Yonhap News)

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