Finding a snack-filled vending machine when you have the munchies may feel like a religious experience, but that's nothing compared to the world's first vending machine — a first-century contraption that dispensed holy water. Now, vending machines are having a bit of a renaissance. Considering the global vending machine market reached $22.3B in 2025 and is expected to grow to $31.9B by 2034, now seems like a good time to stock up. Forget snacks and soda, these days vending machines dispense everything from yarn to bear spray to pizza and wine. Getting creative with micro shopsTo help entrepreneurial artists get in on the vending game, Chicago's Good Things Vending offers resources to create micro shops.