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Thursday West Salem Farmers Market to open next week

Flowers, masks and health alerts were all part of the scene at Salem’s Saturday Market on April 4. (Ron Cooper/Salem Reporter)

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The Thursday West Salem Farmers Market is opening as scheduled next week — with some precautions.

Now in its third season, the market will open on Thursday, May 7, from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at 1260 Edgewater St. N.W.

Farmers’ markets along with grocery stores have been allowed to remain open during the pandemic as “essential businesses.” But shoppers won’t be able to listen to music or buy jewelry as the season starts with a scaled-back version of the market.

Lisa Sherman, the executive director of Salem Community Markets, said to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 the market will be focused on essentials and won’t feature jewelers or other artisans. Live bands also won’t be playing, she said.

“If the ban gets lifted, we’ll start phasing that back in,” she said. “Right now, we’re waiting.”

She said there will be only 13 vendors (fewer than previous years) selling wild game jerky, roasted nuts, microgreens, berries, coffee, as well as some bath and body products and nursery plants. She said that Vianney’s Tamales and Easy Otter will be selling hot food to go. The market runs each Thursday until Sept. 10.

Sherman said that booths will be spaced out to keep distance between shoppers and hand-washing stations will be available.

Salem Community Markets has already been holding its Saturday Market since April 4. Sherman said that the market has been going well, with about a dozen vendors selling out last weekend.

While the Saturday market open with some online controversy over its safety, Sherman said farmers’ markets are safer than grocery stores. She said that the market now allows customers to order goods online and have them placed in their cars and that shoppers have maintained social distancing.

“Those that are there are there to shop and go home,” she said.

However, this year Salem Community Markets will not be holding its Wednesday market previously held downtown because of lack of attendance, she said. Her group is holding off on opening the farmers’ market that’s typically held Mondays at the Salem Hospital because of the pandemic and construction.

 Contact reporter Jake Thomas at 503-575-1251 or [email protected] or @jakethomas2009.