Raw honey, tea, and honey-scented candles sold from the 907 Sweet Treats vending machine in the Midtown Mall.
Vending machines aren’t just for impulse purchases anymore. Small merchants are turning to card-operated dispensers as an alternative to staffed storefronts. Starting this month, the Midtown Mall in Anchorage is home to a cabinet packed with honey, tea, and candles sold by 907 Sweet Treats.
“It’s kind of been a fun little experiment so far,” says the company’s owner Nick Heise.
Let the Machine Do the Work
For 907 Sweet Treats, the vending machine is an alternative to the usual sales channel: market booths. “I can’t be at markets every single weekend,” says Heise. “I get notification when inventory starts getting low. I can go restock it on my time.”…