The district wrapped up its second-half 2025 Gwanak Artteria project, covering 24 individual stores and one full commercial district. More than 90% of participating businesses reported satisfaction, and nearly all construction materials were sourced locally, supporting domestic demand.
Gwanak-gu has been running its annual "Gwanak Artteria" project to create vibrant, welcoming commercial environments that draw visitors and breathe new life into neighborhood shopping streets.
"Thanks to the renovated store, sales have gone up and it was a huge help during a difficult time. I'm grateful to the young artists who put so much care into decorating my shop, and to Gwanak-gu for its generous support."
That was the reaction of one small business owner who took part in the Gwanak Artteria project.
"Artteria" is a portmanteau of "art" and "interior." Since 2019, the district has partnered with local artists and small business owners to deliver tailored space improvements — replacing signage, awnings and menus, among other upgrades.
The district wrapped up its second-half 2025 Gwanak Artteria project in April, covering 24 individual stores along Cheongnim Road (Cheongnim-dong) and Jowon Bok-gil (Jowon-dong), as well as the entire Borabit Street (Boramae-dong) alley shopping district. Each area received a branding strategy tailored to its own character.
Cheongnim Road, home to aging buildings and everyday service businesses, received a comfortable yet modern design treatment. Jowon Bok-gil drew on the district's signature jujube-lantern theme to build a warm, welcoming alley image. Borabit Street — whose name evokes the color purple — underwent a color-branding overhaul using shades of violet, complemented by new Onuri-affiliated merchant plaques and street lighting, transforming it into a distinctive and lively commercial zone.
A satisfaction survey conducted after the project found that more than 90% of participating small business owners responded positively. Owners said the improved store environments translated into real sales gains, and praised the project for successfully building a mutually beneficial relationship between local artists and neighborhood merchants.
The district also sourced more than 95% of the materials needed for signage replacement and interior construction from businesses within Gwanak-gu, contributing to local economic activity.
Now in its eighth year, the Gwanak Artteria project has invested a total of 8.2 billion won (about $5.44 million) to renovate aging storefronts at roughly 2,500 businesses, strengthening their competitiveness. The program has also evolved over time, shifting from a direct artist-owner matching model to professionally managed construction contracts to raise the quality of finished work. Since the second half of last year, support has expanded beyond individual stores to cover entire commercial districts as a unit, securing brand consistency and sharpening each district's identity and appeal.
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