dark store

English

Etymology

The modifier dark refers to the fact that a dark store is not open to the public and is so to speak an invisible part of the retailer’s operation, not to a presumed lack of light in the building.

Noun

dark store (plural dark stores)

1. A distribution center, usually a large warehouse, not open to the public, containing the physical goods sold by the online operations of a supermarket or other retail outlet.

   Coordinate term: dark kitchen

   • 2012 September 24, Zoe Wood, quoting Ken Towle, “Tesco expands 'dark stores' programme to cash in on online shopping boom”, in The Guardian‎^[1]:

     "Food online is growing really well for us," said Towle adding it would need "tens" rather than "hundreds" of dark stores as it will also continue to pick orders from normal supermarkets.

   • 2021 July 27, Eshe Nelson, “Groceries in 10 Minutes: Delivery Start-Ups Crowd City Streets Across Globe”, in The New York Times‎^[2], →ISSN:

     In Battersea, in southwest London, Vito Parrinello, a manager of several dark stores who until recently managed Italian restaurants, is determined that the delivery riders not disturb their new neighbors.

Further reading

• dark store on Wikipedia.Wikipedia