Item dispensing apparatus

A dispenser for storing a plurality of items and providing selective access to the stored items, the dispenser comprising:

• a housing defining at least one access opening and at least one interior portion defining:
• a plurality of item receptacles configured for storing one or more items, wherein the plurality of item receptacles are arranged in a grid defining item receptacle rows and item receptacle columns;
• and
• a plurality of door locking features each corresponding to at least one item receptacle column;
• and
• an access assembly comprising a door assembly laterally moveable across the access opening and configured for permitting selective access to items disposed in the plurality of item receptacles, the door assembly comprising a locking mechanism configured to selectably engage at least one of the plurality of locking features such that the door assembly is configurable between:
• a movable configuration in which the door assembly is free to move laterally across the access opening;
• and
• an immobile configuration in which the door assembly is locked in alignment with at least one of the item receptacle columns to permit user access to at least one item receptacle within the aligned item receptacle columns;
• and
• wherein the door assembly further comprises at least one access door operatively connected to the door assembly and adjustable between a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration, and wherein the access door permits access to at least one item receptacle through the door assembly when in the unlocked configuration and prevents access to the item receptacles when in the locked configuration.