San Diego's first automated grocery store is opening in East Village, reports the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Valet Market, located on the ground floor of the luxury apartment complex Vantage Pointe, will have no cashiers or checkout stations.
Instead, shoppers will be able to walk in, take items, and walk out. The items taken will be automatically charged to the shopper's account.
The technology is designed by a local startup called Accel Robotics. Accel has created a mobile app that people can download and set up payment methods on.
The store is gated and requires the mobile app to unlock it. The app tracks the shopper as they move through the store, making it possible for people to grab and go.
“Through the whole pandemic people were rethinking where they would be doing their work from,” Accel co-founder and CEO Brandon Maseda said. “While people will probably go back to work eventually, many will be at home often. So we’re trying to provide convenient options in those environments.”
Valet Market is expected to open in May and be located at 1241 Ninth Ave. While the store will be open for 24 hours to Vantage Point apartment residents, it will be open to the public from 9:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M.
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