CJ Olive Young to open 1st US store in California next year

Foreign tourists pose in front of an Olive Young store in Myeong-dong, Seoul. Courtesy of CJ Olive Young

CJ Olive Young will open its first U.S. store in Pasadena, California, next May, the company announced Wednesday, as global interest in K-beauty continues to grow.

The United States, the world’s largest beauty market and home to major retailers such as Sephora and Ulta Beauty, has become one of the most competitive battlegrounds for cosmetic brands. Against this backdrop, CJ Olive Young plans to introduce a K-beauty-focused store tailored to U.S. consumers.

The Pasadena store will be located in a fashion- and beauty-focused district, targeting trend-conscious local millennials and Gen Z consumers. Pasadena, about 18 kilometers northeast of Los Angeles, is a small city with a high-income population and several research institutions, including the California Institute of Technology.

Following the opening of its first store, CJ Olive Young plans to expand across California. The U.S. location will serve as a “K-beauty showcase,” offering products and experiential services based on data from Korean Olive Young stores and its global online mall. The company is in talks with more than 400 K-beauty brands, as well as global brands, for store placement.

An Olive Young official said the U.S. store will serve as a shared platform connecting local consumers with K-beauty brands. The company also aims to contribute to the sustainable globalization of K-beauty and evolve into a global beauty and wellness retail platform.

CJ Olive Young is preparing the necessary infrastructure, including a local logistics center, product sourcing and marketing. In the long term, the company plans to link its U.S. stores with an online mall to create an omnichannel shopping experience that maximizes convenience for consumers.