DHL opens drive-up retail store in Virginia

Shipping and logistics provider DHL Express has opened its first drive-up retail store in the U.S., saying the Virginia location allows customers to ship packages anywhere in the world while staying in their cars to maintain safety during the continuing pandemic. 

The mobile pop-up retail store is located in a shopping center in Woodbridge, Virginia—about 20 miles south of Washington, D.C. While the 2,200-cubic-feet mobile DHL ServicePoint becomes the first of its kind, DHL already operates a network of U.S. retail locations. The company opened another mobile pop-up store in Silver Spring, Maryland, in 2019, albeit without drive-up service. And the German firm operates over 3,500 independently owned DHL ServicePoint Partner stores throughout the U.S.

DHL created the newest unit through a collaboration with Flexetail, a Massachusetts-based designer and builder of mobile shops that offers brands a way to test products, explore new markets, and launch new lines, the company said.

“During the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen an unprecedented increase in international shipping in the area, and we continue to explore ways to adapt and offer an even safer shipping experience for our customers,” said Chet Paul, SVP of Commercial for DHL Express U.S. “With the addition of this unique model in Woodbridge, customers will now be able to complete all transactions without having to leave their car.”