Customers are pleasantly surprised these days when they reach the register at the Bookstore in Brandon: by a vending machine.
It looks just like a regular one but contains pieces of art, knickknacks and even little jugs of maple syrup. In a world full of AI and virtual experiences, pushing a button and hearing the “ca-chunk” of the machine spitting out a purchase is satisfying, said Caitlin Gildrien, who created Joy & Sundry Vending.
“There’s something really appealing about being able to interact physically in that way with something sort of unexpected and delightful,” Gildrien said.
Gildrien stumbled upon the machine for sale over the summer while perusing Facebook Marketplace. An artist, Gildrien had heard of art vending machines in places such as Chicago and Portland, Ore., and decided to drop the $200.
Gildrien cleaned and painted the machine and then figured out how to install a card reader so it could accept more than dollar bills and coins. She put out a call to artist friends who might be interested in selling work and explained the size constraints and other considerations.
“It’s been sort of a fun challenge, a different way for artists to think about their work,” Gildrien said. “It’s a different kind of packaging than if you’re at a fair or market or you have a storefront where somebody can pick something up and look at it and you can answer their questions.”
The downtown bookstore’s co-owner, Barbara Ebling, has been a wonderful partner, Gildrien said. “It felt like just a really nice fit in terms of the ethos and the aesthetic,” she said.
Inside are watercolor paintings, wooden ornaments, Matchbox cars and troll dolls. One of the hottest sellers has been the “magical mystery art box,” which are DVD cases stuffed with surprises: poems, photo prints and pieces of writing. The items range from $5 to $25.
Gildrien keeps track of what’s sold and reimburses the artists. Already, in the month since it was installed, she’s had to refill some of the spots.
The best part, Gildrien said: Only one item so far has gotten stuck.
The original print version of this article was headlined “Pushing Buttons”
This article appears in The Reading Issue 2025.
