Visit: 766 Pasir Ris

Funny enough, I actually came across knowing this through flashing pass a friend's instagam story, captioning "Lucky HDB Block why my block don't have!"

Being an up-coming homeowner myself, the immediate response was, "ya lor why my block don't have maybe next time my house can sell for more money!!!"

As of now, that comment is a very 'face' value opinion, but I think there are much more considerations such as, what is the sustainability of such services and, will people be willing to step-out of their comfort zone to get chicken rice from these vending machine right below their house, in comparison to the nearby kopitiam? Will it 'disrupt' or 'integrate' our daily routine?

Here's a conversation with my best friend:

Based on the screenshot above, these are the set of questions I've asked myself:

1) How is this different from MRT and Void Deck?

2) Is it considered as a retail space? Why do I doubt myself and ask this?

3) Then how can retail space change consumers impression of vending machines?

Blurred Lines

"Void deck never see before", also meant that the rarity contributes to the interest factor of the space. But why is it rare?

Vending machines are usually stationary stops, but this is a form of retail experience.. right? The word 'retail' is generically associated with point-of-sale (IMO, I think that retail is highly associated with shopping malls which is in this environment it is not obvious that it is a retail space but it is right?) Considered one as seeing a row of vending machine that encapsulates and fills up into a space. It is not hard to deny that a mama shop is a retail space.

Also, I think this set-up is a hybrid between kopitiam (type of product) and mama-shop (convenience).

So why is it different from MRT and HDB void deck? One very obvious reasoning is MRT is place where people commute and a void deck is a common shared place of residency. With different environment, and location of these environment would have offered different priorities for example, within the outskirts of the MRT would have more food options and will people choose to get something from the vending machine, comparing to a void deck which amenities might not be near to reach?

In the future where this becomes a commodity, I find that this will integrate and slowly erode our perspective of instant food and perhaps that is the future of food and retail.