Krog Street Market Joins Other Large Centers In Fully Reopening, Asks Guests to Wear Masks

Inman Park food hall on Thursday brought its stalls back online after closing down in mid-March to slow the spread of COVID-19.

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Krog Street Market (KSM), an Inman Park food hall since 2014, has fully reopened its doors as of Thursday, June 11, the center announced on its Facebook page.

“We’re so happy to see your smiling (and hopefully masked) faces again,” KSM wrote in Thursday’s announcement.

KSM’s food stalls, which make up the majority of the center’s shared space, are the last to come back online after closing in mid-March to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Most of KSM’s full-service restaurants had already reopened for some version of dine-in (scope our running list here.)

News of KSM fully resurfacing arrives as Georgia Governor Brian Kemp announced he would lift a gamut of restrictions placed on citizens and businesses earlier this year in response to the novel coronavirus including allowing buffets and salad bars to resume service starting June 16.

As with other similar centers like Ponce City Market, Avalon, and Colony Square, KSM has issued safety standards for its tenants and guests as it restarts operations.

Among the highlights are:

  • Public display signs will be posted throughout the property to remind visitors to use safe practices, including mask-wearing, frequent hand washing, and social distancing.⠀
  • Hand sanitizer will be readily available throughout the market for guests and employees.⠀
  • Plexiglas shields will be installed at check-out stations to separate employees and customers.
  • Additional outdoor seating options will be available, and indoor seating will be restricted.
  • To limit crowds, market capacity will be substantially decreased.⠀
  • To ensure social distancing and capacity standards are maintained, friendly, dedicated “social distance ambassadors” will be closely monitoring the market during peak times.
  • Dedicated take-out and delivery parking will continue to provide easy access to patrons and third-party delivery services.
  • Patron survey access points will be located throughout the market so that patrons and employees can share comments, concerns, and feedback.
  • The extent and frequency of the market’s already robust cleaning practices and disinfecting protocol will be increased, with an emphasis on physical touchpoints and high traffic areas.
  • Valet operations and parking services will be modified for added protection.

[Editor’s note: The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is rapidly evolving as is its effect on Atlanta, and the City’s businesses and its residents. Click here for What Now Atlanta’s ongoing coverage of the crisis. For guidance and updates on the pandemic, please visit the C.D.C. website.]

Caleb J. Spivak

Caleb J. Spivak

Caleb J. Spivak

Caleb J. Spivak

4 Responses

  1. Curious to see how this goes. With the rents at KSM it’s hard to imagine most of those shops staying alive if traffic is substantially decreased (whether by rule or by people’s behavior). Even back in the normal times I had a hard time understanding how some of those places survive.

    1. I live a block away, and we’ve been maybe a dozen times (mostly to pick-up pizza).
      My partner doesn’t allow us to go there anymore because the scene/vibe makes me mad.
      It’s the bridge and tunnel people crowd, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s packed this weekend.

  2. I live a block from KSM and can tell you that only 10-20% of people in there are wearing masks. It’s ridiculous. I think masks should be mandatory inside any business when not seated.

  3. I know the owners of 2 restaurants at KSM and neither think that this is a viable long term option. They don’t even think it’s a viable short term option, but are having to reconfigure their restaurants (at considerable expense) to accommodate far fewer guests and/or focus on takeout. They’ve got to at least try to make it work for the sake of their employees and as a hail mary to save the business. For a restaurant that never did take out, it’s not as simple as it might seem to make the switch. With the sky high rents at KSM, neither owners are optimistic about making it through the end of the year. Both of them were totally crushing it prior to Covid. I don’t know what the solution here is, but you’d hope that the landlord would be amicable to working something out with the tenants who’ve never missed a payment.
     
    Also, it’s F*CKING infuriating that nobody is wearing a mask anywhere I go. Maybe 20% of customers in various retail around ATL, if that. It’s a joke. My friend was in Woodstock (I know, I know) this weekend and said when she walked into a store with a mask on the other customers were whispering and pointing at her like she was from another planet. I’m basically in favor of opening up 90% of businesses, assuming people will just wear a goddamn mask. This is so stupid.
     

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