Tim Hortons plans to open its Banff-themed flagship in Seoul’s Seongsu-dong district Tuesday, using the location to test menu and store ideas for regular branches, BKR Chief Business Officer An Tae-yeol said.
The Korea Herald reported that Banff Town Seongsu will be the chain’s first international flagship. The newspaper said Tim Hortons has previously operated smaller themed shops in China and Toronto. BKR is the Korean operator of the Canadian coffee chain.
The design draws on the mountain resort town of Banff. The Korea Herald described cabin-style booths, a rooftop made to resemble snow-covered peaks, and a red canoe and bridge outside. A small shop will sell Canadian maple syrup and cookies, the report said.
About half of the nearly 100 menu items will be exclusive to the Seoul location, according to The Korea Herald. They include Quebec-style breakfast poutine, pasta and madeleines. The store’s Montreal-style bagel is boiled in honey before being cooked over a wood fire. A coffee counter will serve three blends available only there, as well as the regular brew.
An said the seating layout encourages longer visits, which slows customer turnover and limits sales. He said the company currently gives greater weight to how customers view the brand than to profit. At a media briefing Thursday, An said the location is intended to present the chain’s food and hospitality in a setting where customers can spend time.
The flagship follows a plan Tim Hortons Korea outlined in January to adapt its menu to Korean tastes, express its Canadian heritage through design and expand in prime shopping districts, The Korea Herald reported. An described the Seongsu store as an ongoing trial: customer reactions will guide changes to menus and store concepts, with popular ideas gradually considered for regular branches.
Banff Town Seongsu is scheduled to open Tuesday.
