‘Dark stores’ offer anything you need in 30 minutes. But there’s a human cost

Backed with billions in venture capital funding, hyper-fast delivery companies promise speed and ease. But critics fear the affect on workers and communities

On an otherwise busy stretch of Brooklyn's Greenpoint neighborhood stands a black-painted former autobody shop. Long papered-over windows hide its internal workings and lend a gloomy presence to a street otherwise bustling with brunchers. A hopeful shopper stands over the threshold, taking stock of shelves lined with Doritos, Kettle Chips and sodas as a worker explains that it's closed to the public. You can order on the app for delivery, though," he says.

This store-like expanse is a micro-fulfilment center, or dark store", for Gopuff, one of numerous hyper-fast delivery companies to launch over the last few years in large cities across the US as the pandemic switched consumer focus - for those who could afford it - to ordering in.