Williams-Sonoma, Inc. announced the opening of its brands’ first stores in Seoul, South Korea under its strategic franchise agreement with Hyundai Livart Furniture, a premier home goods retailer. Pottery Barn and Pottery Barn Kids opened a combined store and West Elm opened a store at Hyundai City Mall Garden 5. Williams Sonoma opened at Hyundai Department store Mokdong. These openings are the first of 30 stores from the Williams-Sonoma, Inc. brand portfolio expected to open across South Korea over the next 10 years.
“This is an exciting milestone in our global expansion,” said Laura Alber, President and Chief Executive Officer of Williams-Sonoma, Inc. “We are proud to open our first stores in Seoul and introduce our distinctive brands, excellent customer service, and exceptional products to customers in South Korea.”
“We currently operate retail stores in the United States, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom, and franchise our brands to third parties in a number of countries in the Middle East, the Philippines, and Mexico. By the end of this year Williams-Sonoma, Inc. will be represented at more than 145 international retail locations,” said Ronald Young, Executive Vice President, Global of Williams–Sonoma, Inc. “As we begin our partnership with Livart opening our first four stores of many to come in South Korea, we look forward to the tremendous opportunity of continuing our global expansion.”
“The first Williams-Sonoma, Inc. store openings bring a big change to the domestic home furnishings market in South Korea,” said Hwa-Eung Kim, Representative Director and Chief Executive Officer of Hyundai Livart Furniture Co. Ltd. “Our partnership with Williams-Sonoma, Inc. helps us bring the best quality and differentiated design offerings to customers, and we are looking forward to opening additional stores in Seoul and in other major cities across South Korea soon.”
This October, Williams-Sonoma, Inc. and Livart will open a five-story flagship store in Nonhyun-dong, Seoul. The superstore will include Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids, and West Elm, and will represent the first time three Williams-Sonoma, Inc. brands are offered in a single standalone location. An additional Williams Sonoma store will be opened in the Hyundai City Mall Daegu branch in the latter half of this year.