Craftpine

Study · July 2026 · Stoney Creek, Hamilton

520 Barton

Could an unattended store with no staff pay for itself on this corner? The study tested four ideas against limits set before any money was spent.

High aerial view of the Barton Street East and Dewitt Road junction, with No. 520 and its lot at centre among houses and townhouses
Barton Street East and Dewitt Road from the north-east, April 2025. No. 520 is the building at centre.

The site

A 90 by 160 foot lot on a signalized corner, with 21,000 or more vehicles a day as listed. The study asked what the small structure at the back could carry.

Barton St EDewitt RdNo. 520: two storeys, three service baysNo. 5202 storeysRear structure, 12 by 20 feetbillboard160 ft90 ftNrear structureRear structure, 12 × 20 ft.The subject of the study.No. 520: two storeys, three service bays.Lot 90 × 160 ft, zoned C2.Signalized junction, 21,000+ vehiclesa day, as listed.Billboard across the junction, 21,034impressions a day, as listed.HSR bus routes 1, 2, 3, 4 and 10.Barton St EDewitt RdNo. 520: two storeys, three service baysNo. 520Rear structure, 12 by 20 feetbillboard160 ft90 ftNrearstructureRear structure, 12 × 20 ft: the subjectNo. 520: two storeys, three service baysLot 90 × 160 ft, zoned C2Signalized junction, 21,000+ vehicles aday, as listedBillboard: 21,034 impressions a day,as listedHSR bus routes 1, 2, 3, 4 and 10
Schematic, north up. Geometry from the 2007 Ontario Land Surveyor site plan. Property facts as published by 520barton.com.

The corridor

Barton Street runs east toward the corner, with the lot on the right. The digital billboard across the junction lists 21,034 impressions a day.

Aerial view along Barton Street East toward the Dewitt Road junction, a digital billboard across the intersection and the escarpment behind
Aerial, April 2025.

Four ideas, and what ended each

Each idea had a kill criterion written before any money was spent, and each one hit it.

CPG micro-retailshelf goods, phone checkoutEnded Jul 13Card fees took about 15% of a $2.50 basket,at any volume.Staffed bubble teaa drink counter with a workerEnded Jul 13It needed a shift worker, and the studio's rule isno staff in store operations.Unattended fresh drinkssmoothies from a machine, no staffEnded Jul 146.8 cups a day measured against 12 needed. Paybackof 2.2 to 3.3 years against a 24-month limit.Private training spacea small gym in the structureEnded Jul 14A change-of-use permit and assembly-occupancy rules,with no washroom in a 240 sq ft unplumbed structure.CPG micro-retailshelf goods, phone checkoutEnded Jul 13Card fees took about 15% of a $2.50basket, at any volume.Staffed bubble teaa drink counter with a workerEnded Jul 13It needed a shift worker. The studio'srule is no staff in store operations.Unattended fresh drinkssmoothies from a machine, no staffEnded Jul 146.8 cups a day measured against 12needed. Payback of 2.2 to 3.3 yearsagainst a 24-month limit.Private training spacea small gym in the structureEnded Jul 14A change-of-use permit and assemblyrules, with no washroom in a 240 sq ftunplumbed structure.
From the program ledger and the study, July 2026.

The structure

The question was what this 12 by 20 foot structure could carry with nobody working in it.

The rear lot at dusk: parked trucks and cars, and the small rear structure with its dark roll-up door
The rear lot at dusk, April 2025. The structure is the shed at centre.

Demand

The best throughput anyone has published for an unattended fresh-drink machine is 6.8 cups a day. The smallest version of this plan needed 12.

036912Best published resultone kiosk, captive venue, 20236.8 cups a day, best published6.8 cups a daySmallest version of this planthe floor case it needed12 cups a day, needed12 cups a day04812Best published resultone kiosk, captive venue, 20236.8 cups a daySmallest version of this planthe floor case it needed12 cups a day
Zenblen's founder reported 2,500 smoothies from one kiosk in 2023. The floor case is from the study's unit model.

Payback

At 12 cups a day the two real builds pay back in 27 and 39 months. The study's limit was 24.

0122436months$26K buildsmallest real setup$26K build: first 24 months$26K build: 27 months, 2.2 years27 months, 2.2 years$37.6K buildsame, parts at the high end$37.6K build: first 24 months$37.6K build: 39 months, 3.3 years39 months, 3.3 years24-month limit0122436$26K build27 months, 2.2 years$37.6K build39 months, 3.3 years24-month limit
Contribution of $3.87 a cup and fixed costs of $450 a month, from the study's unit model.

What it cost

Venue capital spent was about zero. Nothing was built, bought or permitted before the numbers closed it.

Low aerial view of No. 520 from the north, its two service bays facing Barton Street East and the Dewitt Road junction to the left
No. 520 from the north, April 2025.

Who tried first

Better-funded operators ran this experiment first. Briggo raised US$19 million and was bought by Costa Coffee, which wound the format down.

Capital raised, US$ millionsHow it ended05101520BriggoBriggo: US$19 million19Acquired 2020, format wound downZenblenZenblen: US$4.6 million4.6Active, earns venue service feesBobacinoBobacino: US$3.5 million3.5Closed before it shippedCafe Xnot disclosedClosed its city stores in 2020Tea Industriesnot disclosedOpened 2024, closed 2025Blendidnot disclosedGoing-concern doubt, FY2025Capital raised, US$ millionsBriggoUS$19MAcquired 2020, format wound downZenblenUS$4.6MActive, earns venue service feesBobacinoUS$3.5MClosed before it shippedCafe Xnot disclosedClosed its city stores in 2020Tea Industriesnot disclosedOpened 2024, closed 2025Blendidnot disclosedGoing-concern doubt, FY2025
Capital from SEC filings and dated press, as cited in the study's Appendix D.
The full study
PDF · 46 pages · 3.3 MB