Coronavirus Prompts Farmers Market's Switch To Drive-Thru

BIRMINGHAM, AL — These days, everyone is forced to make adjustments amid the coronavirus pandemic — families, government offices, businesses, etc. — and one of Birmingham's oldest most popular farmers markets is no exception. Pepper Place Market, which has been operating in Birmingham for 20 years, has now switched to a drive-thru mode to adhere to social distancing guidelines.

The new format allows customers to select and pre-pay for items on a custom online platform and pick up at Pepper Place along Second Avenue South with minimal person-to-person contact.

"Preserving the vital connection between farmers and the community is crucial during this time," said Market Founder Cathy Sloss Jones. "We will do whatever we can to help our farmers and local purveyors thrive, and to safely provide Alabamians with easy access to locally-grown, healthy foods."

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The market began the drive-thru model March 21 and has tweaked the process to make it more efficient, officials said.

Staff is on hand on Saturdays to answer questions and direct cars through the pick-up lane, where vendors place items in the back of each car.

The Pepper Place program is approved by the Alabama Farmers Market Authority and follows the latest CDC, state and county health department recommendations.

"As the Drive-Thru Market at Pepper Place continues to grow, it will help farmers survive financially through this difficult period, and provide the community with accessible locally grown food in a safe environment," Jones said. "Coming to Pepper Place each Saturday is more important than ever to ensure the Market’s livelihood. We are helping Alabamians access fresh food safely, while protecting and preserving what is best about our culture and community."

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