MADISON – “We feel it is imperative to let the North Alabama community know we are here and open for business,” said Rocket City Trash Pandas team president and CEO Ralph Nelson.

In conjunction with Alabama Governor Kay Ivey’s stay-at-home order that has expired, the Trash Pandas have opened both the Emporium Team Store at Bridge Street and the Junkyard Team Store at Toyota Field. The facilities will carry all of the team’s gear for fans in a safe environment during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Both stores will have at least two employees on duty while maintaining six-foot social distance and limit the number of customers to 50-percent occupancy. Employees will wear masks and gloves, especially when cash exchanges with gloves disposed of after each transaction. In addition, all surfaces will be continuously disinfected and cleaned- counter tops, shelves, racks, door handles and cash registers.

The safety concerns are in place for both the Trash Pandas’ fans and employees.

“The Emporium long served as the go-to-place for our fans while we waited for Toyota Field to be built,” said Nelson. “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.”

With the current 2020 season of professional baseball remaining on hold, there have been no official word from Major League Baseball on when the immediate season will get underway. Once MLB makes a decision, the guidelines will filter down to the Southern League and the Trash Pandas.

The Emporium at Bridge Street is open from Monday-Friday, 2:00-7:00 p.m., Saturday, Noon-6:00 p.m. and Sunday 1:00-6:00 p.m. The Junkyard Store at Toyota Field is open weekdays 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m., but closed on weekends.

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 six-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 be operating at 50 percent 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.