Gone are the days when, in order to purchase sneakers, one would go to a store with an awning. Gone to are the days that when one would walk into said store, there would be a selection before your eyes.
Bodega, a sneaker store in Boston, is showing the way of the future. This store takes the word "underground" to a new level. This store is hidden in a warehouse lot —with no awning. To make things more obscure, when you walk in, it looks like any bodega (a Latino grocery store). In order to get into the hidden sneaker collection, you have to go through a Snapple vending machine!
I kid you not. This place has been around for nearly two years. Only recently have more people caught on. But hey, don’t take my word for it.
(P.S. the store’s website is hilarious!)
Vending Machines As Secret Entrances
Hidden “Bodega” Shop in Boston
Trend Themes
1. Hidden Retail Spaces - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Creating secret entrances and hidden locations for retail stores to create an element of surprise and exclusivity.
2. Innovative Vending Machines - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Incorporating unconventional vending machines, like Snapple vending machines, to provide access to unique products or experiences.
3. Alternative Retail Concepts - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Introducing alternative retail concepts, such as disguising stores as everyday establishments like bodegas, to attract and engage customers in a different way.
Industry Implications
1. Retail - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Transforming the traditional retail experience by creating hidden retail spaces and incorporating innovative vending machines.
2. Food and Beverage - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Experimenting with alternative distribution methods, like using vending machines, to provide access to niche food and beverage products.
3. Marketing and Advertising - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Leveraging unconventional retail concepts, such as hidden entrances, to create buzz and generate word-of-mouth marketing.