How Much Space Does a Micro Market Need in an Apartment Building?

Short answer: a footprint as small as 30 x 30 inches

When we walk a building in Sandy, Draper, or Lehi, the first thing a community manager usually asks is "Where would this even go?" The answer is usually somewhere you already have. A Cache market can fit in a footprint as small as 30 x 30 inches, about the space of a corner chair or a small side table. It needs a standard outlet nearby and a Wi-Fi signal for the tap-to-pay kiosk. That is the whole list.

You do not need to give up a leasing office, a storage closet, or a room you could rent. Most of the spots that work best are walls and corners in common areas you already clean, light, and keep open to residents.

What your property provides (and what it does not)

There is no special wiring project, no build-out, and no cost to the property. Residents pay for what they buy at the kiosk, and that is how Cache gets paid. For the full cost breakdown, read is a micro market really free for an apartment community?

The best spots in an apartment building

The right spot is less about square footage and more about who walks past it. These are the places we look at first:

• Mail or package room. Nearly every resident comes through, often more than once a week. A wall here is often the strongest spot in the building.
• Clubhouse. A corner or a kitchen counter area works well, especially if the clubhouse stays open late or doubles as a study or work-from-home space.
• Lobby. In mid-rise buildings, the lobby is the one place everyone crosses on the way in and out.
• Elevator bank. People wait here with a free minute, which is exactly when a quick grab-and-go purchase happens.
• Fitness area. Drinks and snacks next to the gym make sense to residents right away.

Why foot traffic beats unit count

It is natural to think a bigger community needs a bigger market, or that a smaller one does not qualify. In practice, what matters most is how many residents pass one fixed point on a normal day. A smaller garden community where everyone picks up mail at a central building can be a better fit than a larger property where residents are spread across separate buildings with no shared path.

That is why our walkthrough focuses on routes, not floor plans. We look at where residents park, where they get packages, where they wait, and which common areas stay open after the leasing office closes. A small market on a busy path does more for residents than a large one tucked in a back room.

What this looks like in Sandy, Draper, Lehi, and Utah County

Utah apartment communities tend to fall into a few layouts, and each one points to a different spot:

Mid-rise and transit-oriented buildings (Sandy, Draper)

Newer buildings near TRAX and FrontRunner stations usually have a single controlled-access lobby, a package room, and an elevator bank. Any of those can work, and the lobby or package room is often the clear winner because every resident passes it.

Garden-style communities (Lehi, Utah County)

Communities with several walk-up buildings usually centralize mail and amenities in a clubhouse. Here the clubhouse, near the mail kiosks or the fitness room, is typically the best spot.

Student housing (near UVU and BYU)

Student communities in Orem and Provo often have study lounges and clubhouses that stay busy late. Late-night access matters, so a spot residents can reach after the office closes is worth prioritizing.

Is it worth the space?

According to the Greystar 2024 Design Survey, which gathered responses from 90,368 renters, 47% of renters are interested in a convenience shop for small purchases, and renters indicated a $53 per month premium for it. For a corner of a common area, that is a visible, everyday amenity to show on tours. See the numbers on our homepage.

Source: Greystar 2024 Design Survey.

A micro market is also different from a vending machine. It is an open, self-serve shop with fresh food, drinks, snacks, and essentials, so it needs a visible spot rather than a hidden one. See our micro market vs vending machine comparison.

Insurance, notice, and install timing

• Insurance: we provide a certificate of insurance (COI) for your location before install.
• Notice period and install timing: agreed with each property and written into a short, one-page letter of intent (LOI).
• Revenue share: none by default. The market is a free resident amenity.
• Equipment: stays Cache's. If the market ever leaves, we remove it.

How a free walkthrough sizes your space

1. We walk two or three candidate spots with you.
2. We check the outlet, the Wi-Fi signal, and the foot traffic past each spot.
3. We follow up with a mockup of the market in your chosen spot and a one-page LOI for your regional manager or owner.

If none of your spaces is a good fit, we will tell you. We serve apartment communities from Provo to North Salt Lake, including Sandy, Draper, Lehi, and the rest of Utah County.