Olympia Farmers Market now has online option, midweek pickup
Olympia Farmers Market launched a pilot program Wednesday that allows shoppers to order from vendors online and pick up their goods midweek, when the market isn’t typically open to customers.
Initially, about 10 vendors will participate in the pilot, according to a news release from the market. It plans to add new vendors each week. As of Thursday, the online marketplace included The Bread Peddler, Capitol City Caramels, HOTSAUCE Fresh, Humble Stump Farm, Mel O’ Soup, Olykraut, Rising River Farm, Sullivan’s Homestead, and Tunawerth Creamery.
The idea was already in the works before COVID-19 introduced social distancing guidelines, according to operations manager Bryce Dazell in the news release. But the guidelines were a catalyst to introduce the new process.
Hosting the pickup outside of the market’s typical in-person hours — right now, those are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays — allows people who may be more vulnerable to COVID-19 to more easily keep physical distance from other shoppers.
The market may make adjustments during this test phase, according to the news release, and Dazell has goals for the future of the process that include adding in the EBT and SNAP Market Match program for low-income people.
How it works
Orders placed and paid for online before midnight Sunday night will be picked up the following Wednesday. Online orders can be made at https://shop.olympiafarmersmarket.com/.
A shopper picking up their online order during their pickup time will check in at a desk and receive an order sheet that includes the vendors they need to visit to collect their order, according to the market’s website. Then, they’ll visit those vendors in the order listed to ensure one-way traffic flow.
Vendors will only bring products that have been set aside for confirmed orders to the market during the Wednesday pickup hours, according to the website.
More information on the pilot program is available on the Olympia Farmers Market website or by calling the market’s main office at 360-352-9096.
This story was originally published July 2, 2020 at 8:12 AM.
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