Where did A Twosome Place open its first US store and what was the first-day response?

A Twosome Place opened its first U.S. store at 404 King Street in Alexandria’s historic Old Town district. Customers began lining up before the 7 a.m. opening, and the line continued until the store closed at 8 p.m.; some visitors came from New York and Baltimore.

What Korean-inspired menu items does A Twosome Place offer at its Alexandria store?

The Alexandria menu includes cakes made with black sesame and injeolmi, plus a misutgaru frappe and cinnamon apple tea inspired by sujeonggwa. Other offerings include a brioche K-toast and a Seoul spicy chicken panini.

What is A Twosome Place’s US expansion plan after opening in Alexandria?

The company plans to open more stores in the Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia area. Its U.S. subsidiary will run the Alexandria location directly while the company incorporates feedback from local customers.

A Twosome Place makes US debut in Virginia, drawing all-day crowds

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Summary

A Twosome Place opened its first U.S. store Saturday in Alexandria, Virginia, drawing customers from before opening until closing. The 404 King Street location offers about 80 menu items, including Korean-inspired cakes, drinks and deli products. The company plans to open more stores in the Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia area.

Key Facts

The Alexandria store covers about 240 square meters and has 78 seats, including an outdoor terrace.
A Twosome Place operates more than 1,700 outlets in Korea and is wholly owned by Carlyle Group.
First-day best sellers included spoonable icebox cake, strawberry chocolate cream cake, black sesame latte and Dalgona Cream Top.
The menu includes Korean-inspired items such as injeolmi cake, misutgaru frappe and sujeonggwa-inspired cinnamon apple tea.
The store is operated directly by A Twosome Place’s U.S. subsidiary, and customers can purchase whole cakes without advance orders.

By Jhoo Dong-chan

Published Oct 19, 2026 12:52 pm KST

Visitors stand in a queue at A Twosome Place coffee store in Alexandria, Va. Courtesy of A Twosome Place

Korean dessert cafe chain A Twosome Place has opened its first U.S. store, in Alexandria, Virginia, the company said Monday. Customers lined up from opening to closing on the first day.

The store opened Saturday, local time, at 404 King Street, the main street of Alexandria’s historic Old Town district. People started lining up before it opened at 7 a.m., and the line lasted until it closed at 8 p.m. Some customers came from as far away as New York and Baltimore.

A Twosome Place has more than 1,700 outlets in Korea and is known for its cakes. Global investment firm Carlyle Group owns the company outright.

On the first day, the best sellers included spoonable versions of its icebox cake and of its signature strawberry chocolate cream cake. The top drinks were a black sesame latte and the Dalgona Cream Top, a drink topped with whipped coffee cream. The company said deli items such as a brioche “K-toast” and a Seoul spicy chicken panini also sold well.

The store covers about 240 square meters. It has 78 seats, including an outdoor terrace, and Korean design touches.

The menu has about 80 items. They include cakes made with traditional Korean ingredients such as black sesame and injeolmi, a chewy rice cake coated in bean powder. Drinks include a misutgaru frappe, made with roasted grain powder, and a cinnamon apple tea inspired by sujeonggwa, a traditional cinnamon punch. Customers can buy whole cakes without ordering ahead.

“It was very meaningful to see firsthand the enthusiasm, with lines starting before opening and lasting until closing,” CEO Moon Young-ju said at the opening.

“We will reflect local customers’ feedback to become a premium dessert cafe Americans visit any time of day.”

The company’s U.S. subsidiary runs the store directly. The company plans to open more stores in the D.C., Maryland and Virginia area.

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.

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