A Toronto-based company is looking to expand its unique business westward over the next six months.
Aisle 24 operates 24/7 grocery stores with a twist — there won't be cashiers, at all. While self-checkouts have existed for years now, they're normally twinned with traditional cashier checkouts.
"Aisle 24 is a fully automated, cashier-less grocery market for Canadian residential communities, condos, apartments, and campuses," states the company's website.
So far, the company operates stores in and around Toronto and Montreal, but they're looking to head west.
"Currently, we are in discussions for various sites within Vancouver, Burnaby, Coquitlam," CEO John Douang tells Vancouver Is Awesome in an email. "Specifically, [we are] in discussions with The Amazing Brentwood."
Plans are to open the first store by early 2022, Duoang says, but they're pushing to get it going even sooner, with more to follow.
"In the near term, we plan to open five stores in B.C., but long term, we feel B.C. can support dozens of Aisle 24 locations," he says.
Aisle 24 stores aim to fill the niche for shoppers looking for a quick, easy store open anytime, states the company's website, and can fit into the bottom of residential buildings with limited space. They advertise shop footprints as small as 300 square feet for resident-only stores.
Along with the cashier-less aspect, Aisle 24s also use a lot of technology, from digital price tags on the shelf to a mobile app for cash-less checkouts. The resident-only shops also use the app to unlock the door.
"Aisle 24 enables you to turn commercial storefronts or spaces inside residential properties into 24-hour grocery markets," states their website.
