Published • 7 Oct 2025
Every property has one. A lounge corner that feels more like wasted square footage than an amenity. A nook near the mailboxes where residents walk by but rarely stop. These spaces are often decorated with a chair or plant, but they don't serve a purpose.
What if that corner could quietly earn revenue, solve resident frustrations, and become something people actually use every day?
That's the opportunity of turning underused space into an apartment amenity. Done right, it requires little staff effort, delivers daily convenience for residents, and proves its worth quickly through measurable usage and sales.
Why "dead space" is a hidden opportunity
Unlike gyms or clubhouses, residents don't have to schedule time to use a market. They bump into it during their daily routines—grabbing a drink after the gym, a quick snack with their package, or a forgotten grocery item before dinner. By placing an amenity where residents already walk, you create a habit without needing to program events or staff hours.
Start with a footprint that fits
The mistake many properties make is thinking too big, too soon. You don't need a full build-out to test the idea. Start with a PicoCooler Vision—a smart, secure cooler that holds the essentials. Place it in a lounge or near lockers. It plugs into a standard outlet, takes up about the space of a loveseat, and begins earning on day one.
Let data decide when to expand
The real beauty of this approach is that you don't have to guess. With ADM reporting, you can see exactly how many residents are buying, how often they repeat, and what the average ticket looks like. Agree upfront on thresholds—say, 50 unique buyers per week or a 30% repeat rate—and expand once those numbers are hit.
Expansion doesn't mean rethinking the entire room. It might involve adding a shelf of quick staples or expanding into a compact market with a kiosk and a wider assortment.
When larger spaces make sense
If your community has a high-traffic lobby, lounge, or central gathering area that could support more than a cooler, that's precisely where our partnership with Impulsify shines. Their ShopPop kiosk is built for unattended, self-service markets in hospitality and multifamily settings. Residents scan, pay, and go—no line, no extra staff needed.
One of the standout perks of working with Impulsify is their end-to-end market design support. Their team can handle layout, materials, installation, and integration—so you don't need to become a fixture expert.
Keep it low-touch
The goal isn't to add more work for your team. A smart cooler locks until a resident presents payment, reducing shrink. Sales and inventory are visible from your dashboard, so you know when to restock. And if you'd prefer to keep operations off your plate, 365 can connect you with an experienced operator who manages everything for you.
Turning wasted space into daily use
Empty corners and overlooked nooks don't have to stay that way. With the right approach, they become spaces that serve residents daily and generate reliable revenue for your property. Start small with a single cooler, measure usage, and let the data guide when to grow into a market.
365 and our partners at Impulsify make that path simple—whether it's adding a PicoCooler Vision, scaling into a compact market, or designing a full ShopPop kiosk experience.
Ready to see how your underused spaces can become an apartment amenity? Talk to our team and get started today.