The Whole Foods Market store in Northwest D.C.’s Glover Park neighborhood reopened Feb. 23, almost five years after it temporarily closed.
The Glover Park store is also one of the first Whole Foods in the country with cashier-less payment technology.
The “Just Walk Out” technology is already an option in Amazon Fresh grocery stores, including several that have opened in the D.C. area, and the smaller convenience-type Amazon Go stores.
Just Walk Out uses a combination of computer vision, sensor fusion and deep learning. Customers have three ways to shop. They can scan a QR code in the Whole Foods or Amazon app; hover their palm using Amazon One, which is similar to a fingerprint; or insert a credit or debit card linked to their Amazon account.
Amazon, which owns Whole Foods, sends customers a digital receipt after they leave the store.
The store also has self-checkout lanes for shoppers who don’t want to use the Just Walk Out technology.
The Glover Park store, at 2323 Wisconsin Ave., N.W., was a neighborhood staple for 20 years. It closed in March 2017 initially after being cited for health code violations, specifically evidence of rodent infestation. It closed with the intention to remodel.
The landlord claimed a closing that exceeded 60 days would violate the retailer’s lease terms.
After a lengthy legal battle, the two sides entered into a settlement agreement in February 2020, resolving the dispute.
