Trend watch: 32M to open 100 self-pay convenience stores in the U.S.
U.S.-based Self-pay kiosk innovator Three Square Market (32M) is set to open another self-pay convenience store and its seventh overall through a partnership with James Vending and JV Marketplace.
The c-store, located at the Galleria Mall in Johnstown, Pa., is built out with what 32M and James are looking as their prototype for more than 100 additional Three Square Self Pay stores set to open this year, reported Vending Market Watch.
"Self-checkout is here and we believe that not only is this the way of incorporating shopping on-line with brick and mortar, it is the way brick-and-mortar retail can save themselves," said 32M president Patrick McMullan. "Brick and mortar retail needs ways to cut costs to compete with the on-line giants and taking the friction and employee expense out of checkout is a major step in doing that.”
The Johnstown location is a c-store and serves as the company’s first hybrid store-Wi-Fi café location. It features traditional convenience fare, in addition to proprietary JV Marketplace fresh sandwiches, salads and parfaits, and Hershey milkshakes among other novelties, as well as indoor and outdoor seating.
At checkout, customers can scan, swipe their payment and go using 32M's new 46 kiosk, a 46-inch touchscreen kiosk equipped with conventional self-pay tools.
"Visitors and employees at the mall needed a place to get a quality meal and to be able to satisfy their technology needs accessing Wi-Fi. We provide visitors to our stores the ability to satisfy their food and tech cravings in one easy, frictionless setting," said James Vending Operations Director James Packrone, who spearheaded the push from being a traditional vending company to an unattended retailer with Don Havens, director of public relations.
Through the partnership with 32M, Packrone and Havens have secured prime locations nationwide in more than 100 properties, with more coming, according to Vending Market Watch.
"People believe brick and mortar retail is dying but we actually believe that to be misguided. The old brick-and-mortar may be but it is giving birth to a whole new shopping and living experience which we are leaders in," commented Havens.
More locations are expected to open in the next 60 days.
"You will see an entire retail complex be completely self-checkout in the next few years," McMullan added. "Large shopping complexes are becoming small residential/retail hubs where everything is frictionless and our system is the center point for not only point of sale for the retail outlets, but we will be incorporating our smart city technology, sanitation controls, building access and security features for restaurants, apartments, medical offices, business and more."
32M wants to expand the company to not only be in malls, but other public places such as airports, hospitals and train stations, according to WJACTV.
Originally published at Convenience Store News.