Oh, Manchester, So Much To Answer For

I've neglected to mention (largely 'cause I couldn't find a decent picture of it - but here's one at BWI, thanks Joe!) one of my favorite, befuddling, marvelous things about DC: Redbox. Redbox is a giant vending machine which offers everything from DVDs to detergent to sandwiches. The one 'fer took me past is at 18th and Columbia, in Dupont Circle. It's amazing. It's like 7-Eleven in a vending machine. And it's bigger than you think (look at that pic again). Bizarre. Why did it take the US so long to start merchandising like this?