The First RecRe Box - Charleston Townes
In 2021, a few James Madison University alumni came up with a crazy idea.
“What if there was a magical vending machine waiting for you in your apartment building that let you rent whatever you wanted, whenever you wanted?”
Well, that magical box is real, and it’s in Harrisonburg Virginia.
RecRe placed its first autonomous rental box in October of 2021 at the off-campus apartment complex, Charleston Townes. RecRe collaborated with property owner Matchbox Realty on this trial launch and developed a unique product that the residents feel ownership over.
The residents of Charleston Townes voted on what inventory stocks the box. They selected a wide range of merchandise, including a vacuum cleaner, basketball, movie project & video game system. The box is stocked with items that college students love, want, & need.
This first locker has successfully operated at 100% uptime during the 3 months of onsite usage. Through minimal digital marketing, an onsite launch party, and consistent sidewalk foot traffic, RecRe has attracted 50+ students who signed up & used items rented from RecRe. RecRe has been used to host Mario Kart battles, Spike Ball tournaments & movie nights. Our users are playing together, having fun, & creating real-life experiences they wouldn’t have had otherwise.
We are thrilled by the success of our first location. We will be doubling & tripling down on our presence in Harrisonburg, but we are open to finding more college communities that want to bring RecRe.
