Trilith this week announced Nourish + Bloom Market has opened in the community’s Town Centre retail and restaurant district. This contactless grocery store offering robotic delivery services and a gourmet bistro is the “first” Black-owned, autonomous grocery store to open in the world, in addition to being the first autonomous grocery store to open in the South, according to a press release.
Using “frictionless shopping,” husband-wife duo Jamie and Jilea Hemmings have created a grocery store where customers enter the store, pick up and pay for items, all through an app. An extensive network of cameras, shelf scales measuring weights of each product, and AI technology re-envisions the shopping experience by providing shoppers with a grocery store open 24/7 carrying items from all categories.
“This type of technology will revolutionize grocery shopping, and we’re over the moon to be the first to introduce this technology in the South,” Jamie and Jilea Hemmings said in the release. “Nourish + Bloom Market grew out of a necessity for our family and sprouted into a way to increase access to healthy, organic foods for shoppers.”
This technologically advanced market serves as a gourmet neighborhood grocery store and bistro offering locally sourced craft items in all departments such as produce, meats, baked goods, dairy, and prepared meals.
The technology at Nourish + Bloom also includes delivery robots for residents of Trilith. These bots deliver a variety of food and packages with the ability to regulate hot and cold temperatures. In addition to their high-tech learning abilities, robotic deliverers use digital facial expressions and sounds to add “an element of fun and opportunities for interactions with curious residents and visitors.”
“We’re proud to be the location of the first Black-owned autonomous grocery in the world,” Rob Parker, president of Trilith, said. “Nourish + Bloom Market brings a new level of sophistication and innovation to our town and the greater Fayetteville area. This exciting addition perfectly aligns with our commitment to prioritizing green living while bringing together entrepreneurs, makers, and creators of all backgrounds.”
The local grocery store is one of several new retail shops and restaurants to join an ever-expanding list in Trilith’s 235-acre master-planned residential and mixed-use development. Located adjacent to Trilith Studios, the second largest film studio in North America and home of Marvel’s Avengers and the Spider-Man films, the new urbanist community will include nearly 1,400 homes while emphasizing creativity and artwork, amenities, and green spaces.
Trilith’s Town Centre includes Trilith Concierge by Edwin Jarvis, Leyland Blue, Green p.s., Native Collective, Woodstone Bakery, Honeysuckle Gelato, The Funky Shack, Amici Italian Café, The Piedmont Wellness Center, Barleygarden Kitchen and Craft Bar, and Hop City. Other announced retailers include Trilith Food Hall, SENSU Sushi, Pet Wants, The Skin Society, Sugarcoat, Premiere Hair Studio, Archer Paper Goods, and a nine-screen luxury movie theatre.
