Offering E-Commerce Brands a Local Robotic Storefront: Experience PopCom's PopShops in a City Near You

PopCom’s founder, Dawn Dickson-Akpoghene, announces a seven-city roadshow to present the company’s latest PopShops, where she will also host investor meetups

COLUMBUS, OH, January 13,2022 — PopCom’s founder and CEO, Dawn Dickson-Akpoghene, is set to visit seven cities across the U.S. from January through March 2022 to launch the company's latest PopShop Local installments. PopCom, a company that has largely leaned on its community to support its push forward, is also inviting its crowdfunding investors and followers to join Dawn for an in-person PopCom Meet & Greet at the roadshow locations to celebrate the local impact of its PopShops.

So, what are PopShops? They are an innovative hybrid between e-commerce and local brick-and-mortar storefronts. PopShops not only give customers the option to purchase trusted local goods through an automated system but also offer e-commerce brands discoverability in local markets with real-time metrics, such as measuring consumer wants. Dubbed the “iPhone of vending machines”, PopShops utilize facial recognition to help retailers capture demographic information, machine learning to help deliver targeted content, and blockchain technology to enable identity verification and the sale of regulated products.

The roadshow kicks off on January 14 with PopShop Local Columbus at the Polaris Mall, which currently carries The Brow Dr. and Black Owned, both of which have Ohio-based founders. On the East Coast, from January 16-18, PopCom’s latest features will be showcased in New York City at the NRF 2022: Retail’s Big Show, an annual expo that brings together industry visionaries to tackle retail’s biggest topics and to showcase what’s next.

Following the NYC exhibition, Dawn will continue the PopShop Local roadshow series and investor meetups at the following locations: Concord Mills Mall in Concord, NC, on January 21; Stonebriar Mall in Frisco, TX, on February 4; The Beverly Center in Beverly Hills, CA, on February 11; Metreon Mall in San Francisco, CA, on February 18; Honolulu, HI, on February 25; Las Vegas, NV, on March 4. If you are a part of PopCom’s crowdfunding investors or general support community, RSVP here to attend the PopCom Meet & Greet in a city near you.

Within the last three months, the PopShop Local Program has debuted six machines offering a variety of local goods that were originally limited to online shopping sites. For instance, SoulFlower’s 100% pure natural bath products are now carried at the PopShop Local Los Angeles at The Beverly Center. In October of 2021, Brew and Feed’s launched its creative tea flavors and spice blends at the PopShop Local Concord at Concord Mills Mall. “We are excited about the energy and innovation that PopCom has in their go-to market strategy,” said Brew and Feed’s founder Robert Moreland, “as well as the potential for further innovation their software can bring with integration with other platforms.”

In November of 2021, Teas with Meaning launched their organic tea at PopShop Local San Francisco at the Metreon. Each month, the company will offer new tea boxes, featuring two small loose leaf teas, biodegradable brew bags, and a wooden teaspoon. “With this PopShop, I hope to accomplish increased brand awareness and sales for Teas with Meaning, additional insight for our market research, and to see PopCom continue to blossom for small businesses,” said Kamilah Mitchell, founder of Teas with Meaning.

A second PopShop Local Columbus, located at the Fairfield Inn Hotel, opened earlier this month, featuring Ohio-based brand Flat Out of Heels. 

About PopCom & PopShop Local

Founded in 2017, PopCom has developed future-facing solutions for the merging of technology and consumer data collection. The vending machines provide online commerce sites to take advantage of in-person sales. Their mission is to equip entrepreneurs and brands with future-ready retail solutions that allow rapid retail expansion, incredible customer experiences, and powerful sales data. The PopShop Local Program connects brands with high-spending consumers that are already looking for local goods in hotels, convention centers, airports, malls, and other high-traffic areas. Get your local products featured in the world's most advanced autonomous retail machine with end-to-end contactless experience here.

For media inquiries and interview requests, please contact Jared Korinko at jared@popcom.shop.

About Dawn Dickson-Akpoghene

Channeling a lifelong entrepreneurial spirit, boundary-pushing fearlessness, and innate understanding of the nexus of technology, commerce, and culture, Dawn Dickson-Akpoghene consistently catalyzes the companies and brands under her purview. At the helm of multiple cash flow positive businesses, the Ohio-born entrepreneur, inventor, angel investor, and speaker has emerged as a consumer thought leader in her own right. As the C.E.O. and Founder of PopCom, she pioneers the connection between e-commerce and vending machines, continuing a legacy of innovation and invention.