Trash Pandas to reopen team stores

Published 3:30 am Saturday, May 2, 2020

The new safer-at-home order enacted Thursday by Alabama’s governor has allowed the area’s Minor League Baseball team to reopen its team stores.

Gov. Kay Ivey’s new health order allowed retail stores across the state to reopen at 50% capacity, which means the Rocket City Trash Pandas can reopen their team stores. Their Emporitum Team Store at Bridge Street will open today, while the Junkyard Team Store at Toyota Field will open Monday.

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We feel it is imperative to let the North Alabama community know we are here and open for business,” says Team President and CEO Ralph Nelson. “The Emporium long served as the go-to place for our fans while we waited for Toyota Field to be built. Now that we are in a holding pattern for our season to start, we feel it is not only right in a business sense but in a symbolic gesture that the Emporium be the first store to open Saturday.”

Like many businesses however, the Trash Pandas will be enacting several measures to ensure the safety of both workers and customers at both locations:

Both stores will have at least two employees on duty at all times while maintaining at least 6 feet of social distance. Also, one person will be at the door to monitor the entrance and limit the number of customers in the store.

Both stores will operate at 50% maximum occupancy.

Trash Pandas employees will be wearing masks at all times and gloves will be utilized when making cash exchanges and disposed of after each cash transaction.

All surfaces will be continuously disinfected and cleaned. This includes counter tops, shelves, racks, door handles, and cash registers.

The stores will also be operating under shorter hours. The Emporium will be open 2 p.m.-7 p.m. Monday through Friday, noon-6 p.m. on Saturday, and 1 p.m.-6 p.m. on Sunday. The Junkyard will be open Monday through Friday 9 a.m.-2 p.m. and remain closed on the weekends.