Walmart's Jet.com Brick-And-Mortar Sells Fresh Groceries In New York City

Walmart's Jet.com is giving customers a chance to have an in-store experience of some the company's online offerings with a brick-and-mortar shop in New York City. The concept store, located at 144 10th Avenue, will sell a mixture of fresh produce, ingredients, and food-themed merchandise, from ice cream sundae-shaped candles to meal planning note pads.

The Fresh Story concept comes a year after Jet.com launched its grocery division online, in May 2016, The Street reported.

"We are thrilled to partner with Story to introduce Jet Fresh and showcase how we are innovating in the space of online grocery shopping and delivery," Sumaiya Balbale, vice president of marketing at Jet, said in a statement.

Oliver Chen, an analyst at market research firm Cowen & Co., told Business Insider that having an in-store experience for consumers is "critical to the brand," especially since it's up against e-commerce giant Amazon.

"The future of retail is the integration of physical bricks and online clicks. This is true because the customer experience needs to address anywhere a customer wants to shop," Chen said.

In addition to selling groceries and products, the store will also host events and workshops, including an evening with chef Mario Batali telling his food stories and sharing recipes on May 23; a beauty and health talk with Refinery29's Editor-in-Chief Christene Barberich and lifestyle expert and entrepreneur Bobbi Brown on June 6; a "Females + Food" discussion with Jack's Wife Freda's Maya Jankelowitz and Cherry Bombe's Kerry Diamond on June 13; and a cooking class for kids with The Creative Kitchen on June 8.

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