CJ Olive Young to open 1st US offline store, launch K-beauty ‘global gateway’ strategy

A rendering of Olive Young Pasadena / Courtesy of CJ Olive Young

CJ Olive Young is launching a full-scale push into the world’s largest beauty market with the opening of its first brick-and-mortar store in the United States.

CJ Olive Young said Thursday that it will open “Olive Young Pasadena” on Friday (local time) in Pasadena, California. The company will also launch a dedicated U.S. online mall the same day.

“We are taking Olive Young’s first step into the U.S., a key global market, after establishing ourselves in Korea as both a leading K-beauty shopping destination and a landmark for foreign tourists,” said Lee Sun-jung, CEO of CJ Olive Young.

“We hope to help K-beauty and K-lifestyle take deeper root in overseas markets.”

Olive Young aims to establish a “global showcase” for K-beauty and wellness products in one of the world’s leading beauty and fashion markets through its distinctive retail approach.

At launch, the Pasadena store will offer around 5,000 products from approximately 400 beauty and wellness brands. The lineup will feature a balanced mix of K-beauty brands popular in Korea, brands gaining traction in North America and global brands aligned with local U.S. trends.

Dedicated testing zones will allow customers to try cleansers, toner pads and sunscreen products, while personalized beauty consultation services — including skin and scalp analyses — will help local consumers better understand K-beauty skin care routines.

Alongside the Pasadena store opening, Olive Young will launch a dedicated U.S. online mall linking offline product discovery with online purchases and repeat sales.

The company said it plans to significantly enhance convenience for U.S. customers by lowering the free shipping threshold from $60 to $35 for the U.S. online mall and cutting delivery times through a newly established logistics center in Bloomington, California.

Initially, Olive Young plans to focus on expanding its offline footprint in Los Angeles and across California before gradually entering major commercial districts in the Midwest and on the East Coast, including New York.

“As Olive Young’s first U.S. store, the Pasadena branch will serve as a strategic base for introducing Korean brands to the global market through the company’s accumulated K-beauty insights and brand incubation capabilities,” said Kwon Ga-eun, CEO of CJ Olive Young USA.

“We will strive to help even consumers unfamiliar with K-beauty discover and incorporate authentic K-beauty into their daily lives through Olive Young’s online and offline channels.”