COLUMN 01 · Pharmacy leases
Before signing a pharmacy lease, count the entrances
In short: when you look at a site for a pharmacy, check how many entrances it has and where they are before floor area and rent. The interior can be changed after signing; changing or adding an entrance has to be considered from the floor-plan review stage.
John Han, hmd SEOUL · spatial designer · four pharmacy projects · First published on Naver Blog, 12 October 2026
Why entrances first?
Customers are not the only traffic in a pharmacy. Boxes of medicine and drinks arrive every day. With only a front door, every delivery crosses the customer area to reach the dispensary.
An entrance is not a design choice but a condition of the site, so it has to be checked before the lease.
11-pyeong pharmacy opposite a general hospital — a back entrance that could not be used
This pharmacy had a back entrance, but storage cabinets filled the space in front of it, so deliveries ended up coming through the front door.
Picture the site with all furniture and storage in place, not as an empty room.
13-pyeong second-floor pharmacy — one entrance
A second-floor pharmacy with a single entrance. It chose privacy for consultation and daylight, letting the route take a deliberate detour.
With one entrance, decide your priority before starting the layout.
18-pyeong pharmacy — one of three entrances for deliveries
Of the three entrances, the one closest to the dispensary was assigned to deliveries, keeping the delivery route short.
32-pyeong pharmacy — separate delivery and customer routes
When entrances are separate, deliveries and customers never meet. This pharmacy separates the delivery route from the patient route.
How wide should the aisle be?
There is no single number. The test is whether you can still carry a box through once all the storage is in. If a large machine such as an automatic dispensing unit is coming, confirm its dimensions first and then set the aisle.
Checklist for site visits
- 1How many entrances are there?
- 2Can a vehicle stop in front of an entrance other than the front door?
- 3With all storage in place, is there still room to carry a box through?
FAQ
Should I talk to an interior designer before signing the lease?
Entrances are hard to change after signing, so if possible review the flows on a plan or site photos before you sign.
Is having a back entrance enough?
No. It is only usable if a clear path to it remains once storage and furniture are installed.
Should I avoid sites with only one entrance?
Not necessarily. As in the 13-pyeong example, decide your priorities and plan around them — just know before signing that deliveries will pass through the customer area.
Please confirm legal aspects of a lease with a qualified professional.
Read on Naver Blog (Korean)