The Wall Street Journal, Nick Haramis, vending, vending machine, unusual vending machines, automatic retailing
NEW YORK CITY -- A recent article in The Wall Street Journal looked at the expanding and unusual applications for vending beyond soda and chips. Machines that vend live crabs, fresh-baked pizzas and bathing suits were among the newspaper's takes on automatic retailing.
"Around the world, new breeds of "automats" are feeding demand for practical but surprising local staples as well as out-and-out exotica," the WSJ stated. "Vending machines eliminate the need to staff a store; they are open 24-7. They can also add a frisson of fun to otherwise mundane purchases -- especially when what emerges is a quirk of local culture, or something that...well, seems like it shouldn't have been left unattended."