After being closed for several weeks, to stop the spread of COVID-19, some South Carolina flea markets are opening up during the coronavirus pandemic after Gov. Henry McMaster said the businesses would need to take social distancing precautions. Peggy Watts and her husband, Jim, have been selling T-shirts at the Anderson County Jockey Lot for 38 years. “I’m just glad they reopened so we could give it a shot. It’s just very dangerous for everybody you know but, it is what it is. We’ve got to make it together,” she said. Governor McMaster’s order calls for businesses to keep retail spaces clean, for customers and vendors to practice social distancing, and for occupancy not to exceed 20% capacity or five people for every 1,000 square feet – whichever results in fewer people gathered together in the space. “We limited the number of people who go to the bathroom at one time. We put up signs that say wash hands, your typical sanitary stuff, put directional arrows along to market walkways,” said Mac McClellion, owner of Anderson County Jockey Lot. Greenville’s White Horse Flea Market had to sanitize everything before opening back up.“I mean, I know everybody’s suffering. We have a lot of people out here (who) have to come out just put food on the table every week, just to sell some items,” said Shane Howard, co-owner of White Horse Flea Market. Some vendors tell me they’ve been hit hard financially by the shut-down, but they’re concerned about the coronavirus.Curtis Carnes is trying to use and give out personal protective equipment, but not everyone is wearing it. “It seems like nobody is taking it serious. And our governor, it seemed like he didn’t shut down fast enough. We should’ve been shut down before this, not just a few things here. Because there of been a lot of places that haven’t been shut down that should have been shut down. From the experience and the people here don’t know it’s real. It’s not fake,” said Carnes, a vendor at barnyard flea market in Greer. “This is too soon because we are not hit hard yet. We want to make sure we’re not hit hard. And I’m here today because I need to make money. Cause I’m not working many hours at work but I’m open.”Not all upstate flea markets are back in business.Pickens Flea Market announced on social media that reads, “We feel like it is too early to open, and we don’t know what the outcome would be, but we definitely don’t want to put people at risk or in harm’s way!”
After being closed for several weeks, to stop the spread of COVID-19, some South Carolina flea markets are opening up during the coronavirus pandemic after Gov. Henry McMaster said the businesses would need to take social distancing precautions.
Peggy Watts and her husband, Jim, have been selling T-shirts at the Anderson County Jockey Lot for 38 years.
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“I’m just glad they reopened so we could give it a shot. It’s just very dangerous for everybody you know but, it is what it is. We’ve got to make it together,” she said.
Governor McMaster’s order calls for businesses to keep retail spaces clean, for customers and vendors to practice social distancing, and for occupancy not to exceed 20% capacity or five people for every 1,000 square feet – whichever results in fewer people gathered together in the space.
“We limited the number of people who go to the bathroom at one time. We put up signs that say wash hands, your typical sanitary stuff, put directional arrows along to market walkways,” said Mac McClellion, owner of Anderson County Jockey Lot.
Greenville’s White Horse Flea Market had to sanitize everything before opening back up.
“I mean, I know everybody’s suffering. We have a lot of people out here (who) have to come out just put food on the table every week, just to sell some items,” said Shane Howard, co-owner of White Horse Flea Market.
Some vendors tell me they’ve been hit hard financially by the shut-down, but they’re concerned about the coronavirus.
Curtis Carnes is trying to use and give out personal protective equipment, but not everyone is wearing it.
“It seems like nobody is taking it serious. And our governor, it seemed like he didn’t shut down fast enough. We should’ve been shut down before this, not just a few things here. Because there of been a lot of places that haven’t been shut down that should have been shut down. From the experience and the people here don’t know it’s real. It’s not fake,” said Carnes, a vendor at barnyard flea market in Greer. “This is too soon because we are not hit hard yet. We want to make sure we’re not hit hard. And I’m here today because I need to make money. Cause I’m not working many hours at work but I’m open.”
Not all upstate flea markets are back in business.
Pickens Flea Market announced on social media that reads, “We feel like it is too early to open, and we don’t know what the outcome would be, but we definitely don’t want to put people at risk or in harm’s way!”
