Skagway’s AC Fairway Market. Photo by Mike Swasey.

Skagway’s main grocery store closed briefly last week following an outbreak of COVID-19 among its employees, it has since reopened with limited hours. The move came as store shelves remained nearly empty since the store’s grand opening on August 3. KHNS Mike Swasey spoke with Janet Hart, an Anchorage-based representative of Alaska Commercial Company which recently acquired the Fairway Market.

 

Hart – Two of our employees at AC fairway market in Skagway have tested positive for COVID-19. And we have closed the store and sent all of the employees to get rapid tests so that we will know the status of the employees.

Swasey – Okay, how long will the store be closed?

Hart – We don’t know at this time how long the store will be closed. We hope to reopen it within the next couple of days, at least on a limited basis for a few hours each day. And we’re going to be adding curbside pickup as well. We are sending another employee from Alaska Commercial Company in Anchorage, down to Skagway to work with the store management in managing this issue and getting the store reopened as quickly as possible.

Swasey – Janet, the Alaska commercial company took this store over at the beginning of August and the shelves have been pretty much bare ever since. Why?

Hart – Well, that’s a great question. And I appreciate you asking it. And it has to do with COVID. Our grocery supplier warehouse has a COVID outbreak and they had to close their warehouse for almost 10 days. And so during that time, we weren’t receiving shipments of food for the Skagway store or any of our other 30 stores throughout Alaska. 

So they have gotten their warehouse back up to full operations. But there will be a lag time until they get all the orders out to everyone. So we have been getting shipments of food in the past few days and should continue to get them on a regular basis. 

Swasey – Are masks being required for all employees while on the job?

Hart – Yes, masks are required for all employees of the store and for all customers coming in the store.

The store opened on August 3 under AC Company’s ownership. At the time masks were optional. Hart said concerned Skagway residents pushed back and the policy was changed the next day to require everyone inside the grocery store to mask up. 

Follow-up questions about contingency plans for food distribution in the event of a future supply failure remain unanswered. Though company representatives stated that they would respond once more information becomes available.

There are three other options for groceries in Skagway at this time. 

  • Grizzly’s General Store carries Kirkland brand products and is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon-Sat and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, they are expecting an additional shipment once planes can safely arrive. 
  • Klondike General Store is open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. seven days a week. They are also expecting an additional delivery of essentials as soon as planes can safely arrive. 
  • You Say Tomato is open from 2 to 6:30 p.m. but is closed on Saturdays and Mondays.

**This article was modified to include information about the store’s reopening.**