Lotte to open Vietnam's largest shopping mall in Hanoi

Lotte Shopping Co., the retail arm of South Korea's fifth-largest conglomerate Lotte Group, announced plans on Thursday to inaugurate its extensive commercial complex, Lotte Mall West Lake Hanoi, in Vietnam's capital on September 22 this year. 

The complex, a centerpiece of Hanoi's West Lake new urban area, will encompass a wide range of facilities, including shopping malls, a supermarket, a hotel, an aquarium, and a cinema.

Located across a whopping 354,000 square meters, about 50 soccer fields in size, the mall's pre-opening events will kick off on July 28. Situated in a prime residential and commercial district, Lotte Mall aims to become a premier landmark and central business hub in Hanoi.

The shopping complex, accommodating 233 stores covering over 60% of the total area, is poised to cater to the burgeoning young population in the West Lake area in Hanoi. With a unique mix of 85 signature stores, the mall will introduce 25 brands to Vietnam, 28 new entrants to Hanoi, and 32 flagship concept stores.

Highlights include KidZania, an interactive children's career experience theme park, Champion1250, an indoor playground, and a multitude of cultural spaces including bookstores, galleries, and cooking studios.

The basement will house the Lotte Mart, an innovative grocery store spread over roughly 4,300 square meters, intending to boost the grocery display ratio by up to 90%. Also, Bottle Bunker, a wine specialty store, will occupy around 800 square meters.

Complementing the shopping mall, a 23-story building will encompass a hotel and offices. Lotte Hotel will open a 23-story hotel The L7 West Lake Hanovi By Lotte, which will offer 264 rooms and 192 residences, ensuring 5-star facilities and services.

The Lotte World Aquarium Hanoi, spanning approximately 9,000 square meters and hosting a 3,400-ton tank, will be the largest downtown aquarium in Vietnam. A standout feature is the main tank, flaunting curved acrylic panels measuring 18 meters long and 5.8 meters high.

Lotte Cultureworks will introduce the 1,007-seat Lotte Cinema, kitted out with premium facilities, including two exclusive theaters, Charlotte and Recliner.

Lotte Shopping aims for the mall to energize the local economy, anticipating the creation of over 3,000 jobs. The presence of numerous domestic brands is expected to act as a springboard for the international expansion of South Korean companies, fostering the propagation of K-culture in areas such as fashion, food, and cultural activities.

Write to Young Chan Song at 0full@hankyung.com