Marymount University in Virginia has become the first higher education institution in the USA to have an on-campus convenience store powered by Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology.

Located in the lobby of Gerard Phelan Hall on Marymount’s main campus in Arlington, the convenience shop – Saints 24 – opened to the university community for the first time this month.

The implementation of Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology is designed to eliminate checkout queues and provide an effortless customer experience. Customers use their credit card at the entry gates of Saints 24, grab what they need and the technology automatically detects what is taken from or returned to store shelves, creating a virtual shopping cart. When customers have completed their shopping, they can leave the store without stopping to check out, and their credit card will be charged for the items they took.

“In recent years, we have seen Arlington rise even higher in importance for our nation’s economy with no better example than Amazon’s decision to locate its HQ2 right here,” said Irma Becerra, president of Marymount University. “Becoming the first university in the USA to collaborate with Amazon in incorporating its Just Walk Out technology at an on-campus convenience shop demonstrates how Marymount is leading the way in fostering an innovative and exciting student experience that appeals to the tech-savvy college students of today.”

In initial planning for the Saints 24 store, Marymount administrators surveyed student leaders in the university’s Student Government Association (SGA) to hear what products they would most like to see in a new convenience shop on campus. Their recommendations led to an available item list that includes food options featuring freshly prepared sandwiches, wraps, salads, sushi, yogurt and ice cream, as well as other items such as toiletries and feminine hygiene products.

“Marymount is committed to providing students with new and exciting on-campus experiences that cater to their needs, and we’re proud to collaborate on their first checkout-free store,” said Dilip Kumar, vice president of AWS Applications. “Now, students and guests can grab food, beverages and other essentials in a way that is easy and convenient for them.”

Marymount will hold a grand opening ceremony event for Saints 24 on Thursday, April 20.