There's gold in them there gold.
All things considered, the vending machine has had remarkable staying power for such a relatively simple concept. Caviar, cupcakes, tacos… they’re all available via vending machine, and don’t get us started on the typical offerings from the Japanese variety.
Brooklyn’s Bikestock is the latest entry in the escalating vending machine wars – the kiosks offer biking essentials like an air pump, patch kits, inner tubes, locks, Clif Bars, and more.
The idea was hatched after cofounder Matthew von Ohlen found himself with a flat tire while biking across the Manhattan Bridge late at night. After trudging two miles before finding any sign of life, let alone a toolkit, von Ohlen saw an obvious need for the growing biker population in New York.
Bikestock launched its first machine in Bushwick in November last year, and the company has six more units planned for Brooklyn and lower Manhattan by the end of summer. “This is the proof of concept, and it works,” von Ohlen said.
In addition to the vending machines, Bikestock also offers a toolkit, intended for retail stores that make bike deliveries or have a cyclist-heavy customer base.
You can get more information and sign up for Bikestock here.
Now go forth (and automate it).