New York Farmers Market Uses SignUpGenius to Offer Safer Shopping During Pandemic

The Kingston Farmers Market in Kingston, New York brings neighbors together to connect, shop, eat and listen to music. In response to COVID-19, the market needed to operate differently to protect shoppers and vendors while still serving the community during this time.

The popular event features about 20 vendors and about 400 customers on market days. Suzanne Flaum, Site Manager and Food Access Coordinator, knew their team would have to limit the number of customers shopping at the same time during the pandemic. She used SignUpGenius to create time slots to shop or pick up pre-orders, keeping crowds and lines smaller at the farmers market.

"Amidst COVID-19, we needed a simple way for shoppers to choose the best time for shopping or picking up their goods while being mindful of time spent at the market," says Flaum. "Thanks to the sign up, customers were very conscious of time and moved quickly through the market after checking in with market staff. Additionally, we were able to use our earlier time slots to accommodate elderly and at-risk shoppers."

They received positive feedback about the sign up system and increased the number of slots by editing the settings. Customers contacted Flaum with questions through SignUpGenius and she was able to respond easily and quickly.

"I would tell other organizations interested in SignUpGenius that this is a really helpful and simple and user-friendly solution for markets or businesses trying to manage the number of customers in a space," says Flaum.

We love how the genius Kingston Farmers Market team adapted to serve their customers during the pandemic. A place where people can get fresh food and stay connected to the community is more important than ever.