Etymology

dark store

Today it means: A distribution center, usually a large warehouse, not open to the public, containing the physical goods sold by the online operations of a supermarket or other retail outlet. Full definition →

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The story

From dark (“not open to the public”) + store. The modifier dark refers to the fact that a dark store is not open to the public and is so to speak an invisible part of the retailer’s operation, not to a presumed lack of light in the building.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.