An easy choice was for Mike Fogarty to open his first 24/7 convenience store near the University of Denver.
The owners of Choice Market opened this summer in the university’s neighborhood in 1737 AD. Getting ready to launch its fourth location at Evans Avenue. They signed a lease earlier this month for the 3,800-square-foot space, formerly home to the Tokyo Bowl.
“It was a natural fit,” Fogarty said. “We want to break out of Denver’s true urban core and expand our distribution radius to the South. This store will give us the opportunity to tap into that market of students and the high-income neighborhoods around the area.
Fogarty opened the first location of Choice Market at 1770 N. Broadway in Cap Hill in 2017 and has since opened at 2200 E. at Cheesman Park. Colefax Avenue with a gas pump and another on the ground floor of the park at 939 Bannock St. Spear Apartment Building in the Golden Triangle.
Like other locations, Choice’s new DU store will sell basic groceries, local craft beer, hot and cold grab-and-go food, and more. It will also include “frictionless technology” that was first introduced at Fogarty’s Golden Triangle location.
Using frictionless technology, customers enter payment information into an app before entering the store. When they’re done shopping, they walk out. Hundreds of ceiling cameras and shelf sensors determine what customers choose to buy, and minutes later, an e-receipt appears on their phone.
The new location at Choice Market will have a separate turnstile entrance to allow the store to operate 24/7 instead of closing at 11 p.m. like other locations. Until then a cashier will be present for regular checkout, but customers who wish to purchase items overnight will check out using the app or mobile credit card at the turnstile.
Fogarty said, “Technology is convenient, so why isn’t it in the convenience store?” “Our customers really enjoy the convenience when they want what they want. And we are also able to understand who the Choice customers are, who are primarily female customers with high disposable incomes, and that has really helped us.” I have set myself apart from the competition.”
Fogarty plans to add turnstile entrances to all of its locations and eventually open them 24/7.
The owner of Choice Market is also opening a smaller format location, which will be completely cashierless, in August at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, he said. And he is under contract for another location in Parker with a fuel pump and electric car charger.
Sullivan Hayes along with broker Julie McBerty represented Choice Markets in all deals.
This story was reported by our partner BusinessDen.