Photo courtesy of DashMart
DashMart photo
Alexandria will be the first in the Washington, D.C. region to get its very own DashMart, a virtual convenience store that will feature items for delivery housed at a local warehouse, according to a report by Washington Business Journal.
Brought to you from the folks at DoorDash, the company plans to open a warehouse later this year in Alexandria at 826 S. Pickett St. (just west of South Van Dorn Street) where it will house the items for delivery around the clock.
Here's a description of DashMart, from the company:
"DashMart is a new type of convenience store, offering both household essentials and local restaurant favorites to our customers’ doorsteps. On DashMart, you’ll find thousands of convenience, grocery, and restaurant items, from ice cream and chips, to cough medicine and dog food, to spice rubs and packaged desserts from the local restaurants you love on DoorDash. DashMart stores are owned, operated, and curated by DoorDash."
The company prides itself in featuring items from local businesses; on its blog, it asks local businesses interested in selling on DashMart to contact them at: dashmart@doordash.com. DashMart reviews submissions, noting that "if there is a fit we'll work get your products into DashMart and to customers." Cstoredecisions.com, which reports on the convenience store industry, reports that DashMart is interested in delivery of a variety of items — from convenience stores and flower shops to grocery stores and pharmacies.
"Our mission is to connect customers to the best in their cities while helping any business on Main Street grow, and we hope to inspire even more local businesses — from restaurants and bakeries to artisanal shops and home goods retailers — to sell with us on DashMart," the company noted in a news release after its launch last year.
The company also has deals with national brands like The Cheesecake Factory and Nando Peri-Peri.
DoorDash launched the business last year, creating regional "micro" distribution centers in eight cities across the country. Each virtual store carries about 2,000 items.
The service is similar to Amazon Prime and Instacart and other delivery businesses. At the same time, traditional retailers, especially during the pandemic, have also stepped up their delivery game.
