'Dark stores' are a 'gateway' to next wave of e-commerce fulfillment facilities

Forbes contributor Bryan Pearson believes the use of "dark stores" — abandoned retail locations opportunistically repurposed for localized e-commerce fulfillment — are a transitional phenomenon. Not all operators can take the leap that Walmart and Amazon have taken to build customized DCs, but already such chains as Kroger, Wendy’s and Giant Foods are looking beyond dark stores to find "delivery-focused alternates to traditional stores."