ATLANTA — Nourish + Bloom Market is the first 24-hour, AI-powered, frictionless grocery store in the United States, and the first Black-owned such store in the world.

The company based in Atlanta leverages autonomous technology to provide customers with access to healthy foods and everyday essentials in a contactless, staff-free environment. The store also welcomes customers who use Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.

Jamie and Jilea Hemmings, Nourish + Bloom Market cofounders and a married couple for 20 years, say when people enter the store, they are stepping into the future of shopping.

“When you come in our store, there’s no cashiers, no staff. You’re literally able to scan in, grab what you want, and get back to your day,” Jilea Hemmings said. “It’s showcasing the future of innovation, but it still has a really warm environment; it’s like a neighborhood grocery store.”

The store’s AI-based system allows for real-time inventory tracking, contactless entry, and checkout using a mobile app.

Nourish + Bloom’s technology is designed to operate with minimal staffing while still maintaining a high level of security and service. Nourish + Bloom also provides smart fridges in corporate offices, stadiums, and hospitals to expand access to fresh food in those places.

The Atlanta Voice spoke to the Nourish + Bloom cofounders about their goals and hopes for the future.

The Atlanta Voice: How did Nourish + Bloom get its start?

Jilea Hemmings (JileaH): Nourish + Bloom Market came out of a personal need for my family. We had just moved to Atlanta, just found a school for our kids, and found ourselves living in a food desert, also in the middle of the pandemic, and seeing all the challenges around food insecurity for everyone in stores closing and social distancing, and knew that AI could change that and allow people to be able to shop whenever they wanted without having to have the constraints of time or long lines.

TAV: How does it feel to be going into your fourth year of the business?

Jamie Hemmings (JamieH): It’s been a journey. Going from just an idea and a concept to building this out, our story is out there into the world. That’s not something that I expected, and for Jilea and me, it was more of building something for the community, wanting to give people access to fresh fruits and vegetables and other healthier items.

TAV: When you walk into the store and scan your debit/credit card, there is a $40 hold on your card. What is this for?

JileaH: The way the store works is that either you can download our app and put your debit card, credit card, Apple Pay, EBT card on file, or you can tap a card or use Apple Pay on our turnstile. There’s no one here, and we obviously don’t know what you’re going to purchase. We put a hold just to cover what you potentially could be picking up, and then it gets deducted from whatever you take. So, if you only take something for $10, you’ll get credit back $30. It’s temporary, but because you’re in a closed environment, and once you’re in there, we just must verify payment before you go inside.

TAV: Do you have any role models who inspire you as a business owner?

JileaH: I come from a family of entrepreneurs. My father and grandfather inspire me. They all have worked for themselves for over 20-plus years. Being able to see them against all odds, be able to persevere and push through has been important. Also, Pinky Cole [owner of the Slutty Vegan restaurant chain] is someone who inspires me as well. Seeing that she was able to create something with an idea inspires me.

TAV: Where do you see Nourish + Bloom in the next five years?

JileaH: In next five years, we want to see ourselves all over the country. Due to the fact we’re the first in Atlanta and also first in the southern United States, and first Black-owned AI store in the world, it’s gotten a lot of notoriety around the country, and people have shared … where they live and how they might potentially be living in a food desert, and how this could really benefit them. So, we’re going to be franchising Nourish + Bloom.

TAV: Now, what do you want people to take away from your business?÷

JileaH: We’re in the new workforce of tech revolution, and this is another way that AI is changing how we do things, but also to hopefully spark creativity in others of how do we utilize this new technology to be able to continue to enhance the world and make it a better place. It was our friends, our family, and the community that really came behind us and put their dollars where their mouth was to make this possible.

TAV: What kind of advice do you have for aspiring business owners?

JamieH: Don’t give up. You must keep pushing through because there’s going to be a lot of obstacles in your way. Once you’re able to push through, that’s where you find the true success. Many entrepreneurs talk about the positive side of entrepreneurship, but people don’t really talk about the hard work that goes into it. When you’re an entrepreneur, it’s 24-7. It doesn’t stop and delay. Being partners, being husband and wife, doing this thing is, let me tell you, it’s day-in day-out, but you just got to keep pushing through. If this is something that you want to do, if you have a passion for it, just keep going and don’t let anybody stand in your way.

For more information, visit https://www.nourishandbloommarket.com.

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The Atlanta Voice is a BNV partner. The original version of this piece appeared here.