By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
The Downtown Hays Market will open Saturday, May 30, but with drive-through service for at least a couple of weeks until social distancing regulations are further eased.
Allie Glidewell, DHDC director of events and operations, said the market plans to offer prepaid preorders that can be collected via drive-through.
DHDC is also considering a system in which customers can have their orders picked same-day on site and then delivered to customers' vehicles.
The exact procedures for the market will be decided after the DHDC meets with vendors in two weeks.
"I think if COVID has taught business people anything, it is you have to adapt," Glidewell said. "I know there are a lot of markets not only in Kansas, but within the country that have had a lot of success with either the drive-through or pre-order option.
"Maybe if it goes really well we have an open market and we keep one of them — the drive-through or the preorder."
The market operates 7:30 to 11 a.m. Saturdays from May through October at the Downtown Pavilion in Hays.
Glidewell said she hopes the market will be able to reopen for normal operations as social distancing requirements are eased. Even when it does open for normal operations, the market plans to take COVID precautions by encouraging social distancing and setting up hand-sanitizing stations.
Vendor applications are being accepted for the market. Vendors need to provide their sales tax number when they apply. The application can be found on the DHDC website.