California-based VenHub has opened a fully autonomous, AI-powered smart store at the Metro Transit Center at Los Angeles International Airport.

The store brings secure, frictionless and fully automated retail convenience to the millions of travellers and transit riders moving through Los Angeles each year.

Launched in anticipation of the 2026 Fifa World Cup and 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the installation places VenHub at the forefront of smart retail infrastructure as Los Angeles prepares to welcome the world.

“Retail should work for people, not the other way around,” said Shahan Ohanessian, CEO of VenHub. “Launching our smart store at the Metro Transit Center at LAX represents much more than a store opening. It’s about giving people access to what they need, exactly when they need it, with safety and simplicity built into every interaction. Whether you’re a traveller heading to the terminal, a commuter catching a connection, or a parent needing essentials after hours, VenHub is ready to serve. Always open, always secure, and always designed around the customer.”

VenHub is a fully autonomous, AI-powered smart store that can be installed in under seven days and operates round the clock without staff. Using robotics, machine vision and IoT, each unit delivers a safe, secure and fast shopping experience, completing transactions in as little as 90 seconds. Whether fixed or mobile, the smart stores intelligently adapt inventory and merchandising based on location, customer behaviour and time-of-day demand, setting a standard for access, convenience and future-ready retail.

“Being first is not just a milestone, it’s a responsibility,” Ohanessian said. “As leaders in unattended retail, it’s our obligation to keep pushing the edge of what’s possible. With over $300m in smart store pre-orders across the USA and growing demand from enterprise partners around the world, we are scaling our production capacity to meet this extraordinary demand.”

This launch marks VenHub’s first deployment in partnership with LA Metro, with additional locations already being planned across southern California. These smart stores will serve transit-connected communities across the region, offering a retail experience that is fast, secure and completely contactless, available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

“Metro is committed to enhancing every step of our customers’ journeys, and that includes the moments they spend in our stations,” said Jennifer Vides, Metro’s chief customer experience officer. “Partnering with VenHub at the Metro Transit Center station reflects our focus on innovation and our board’s directive to explore retail and other station-based amenities that improve the overall rider experience. VenHub’s 24/7, AI-powered smart retail technology is forward-thinking, adding convenience, engagement and value to our customers as they travel the Metro system.”

Last week, VenHub welcomed the public, government officials and partners to its grand opening at the Metro Transit Center (www.metro.net/lax-metro-transit-center). Attendees interacted with the smart store, placed live orders, explored the robotics system in action, and met the team behind the platform.

Following its southern California expansion, VenHub (www.VenHub.com) is preparing deployments for transit hubs and commercial sites in major cities across North America, the Middle East and Europe.

To watch a video of the store in action, go to www.youtube.com/shorts/aZURB9FFhtI.