Makin’ History! World’s First Black-Owned Autonomous Grocery Store Launches in Fayetteville
Thanks to retail technology and artificial intelligence innovation, there’s a new generation of grocery stores on the way, and the first one in the Southeast just opened last month! In January, Nourish + Bloom Market not only became the first autonomous grocery store in the Southeast, but also the first Black-owned autonomous grocery store in the entire world!
The Fayetteville market utilizes contactless technology to make the shopping experience “frictionless,” allowing shoppers to scan items they pick them up and pay for them all through an app. This eliminates the need to wait in line for checkout, so customers can easily grab what they need and pay as they leave. What makes it even more convenient? The innovative grocery store is open 24/7!
Nourish + Bloom Market is the newest addition to the young, flourishing Town at Trilith development, located right by Trilith Studios – the second largest film studio in North America where many of Marvel’s iconic action movies are shot.
The grocery store also offers cutting-edge delivery services in the form of robots! The bots are equipped with temperature regulation technology to keep their contents hot or cold and can deliver to residents across the Trilith property. They also make digital facial expressions and sounds to bring some lighthearted fun and personality to the delivery experience.
This pioneering grocery store was created by Jamie and Jilea Hemmings, an entrepreneurial husband-and-wife duo who are dedicated to making healthy eating more accessible and modern, in partnership with tech company UST. The couple launched their first food company in 2009 after discovering how healthy eating helped their son who was diagnosed with autism. The company, Greenie Tots, offered quick, hearty vegan meals designed for kids.
Today, Jamie and Jilea Hemmings are helping lead a new wave of high-tech grocery stores while keeping healthy food as the focus. Nourish + Bloom Market prioritizes offering wholesome, locally sourced, organic and craft foods and also features a gourmet bistro with coffee and grab-and-go foods.
The history-making couple is looking to bring Nourish + Bloom Market to more locations in Metro Atlanta and beyond. Right now, they’re eyeing the BeltLine and Centennial Yards in downtown Atlanta for their next locations. As retail technology continues to evolve, contactless grocery stores are likely to become more prevalent – there may even be one in your area soon!
