Independent Wholesale Distribution Centers (IWDCs) have a long history of serving independent retailers Usually located in the older industrial wholesale sections of urban areas, often close to railroad sidings, they are rarely noticed by consumers. More than 500 exist in the USA alone

Legacy IWDCs — those with little automation — are sometimes referred to as ‘Cash & Carrys.’ The industrial, IWDC type of ‘Cash & Carry,’ however, bears no resemblance to warehouse format retail stores that sometimes call themselves ‘Cash & Carry.’

True IWDCs focus exclusively on independent merchants, discourage retail trade, and have little that would attract consumers. Nikki’s Story is an account of how a typical merchant uses legacy ‘Cash & Carrys’ and other sources to supply her store — and how a modern IWDC helps her business and lifestyle.