Olympia Farmers Market suspends knife vendor after dispute over covering blades and insurance

The Olympia Farmers Market has suspended a knife maker from its downtown stalls after a weekslong dispute over keeping his blades behind a plexiglass barrier and carrying liability insurance.

Crafted Restorations, which makes mostly kitchen knives in a Hoquiam workshop, announced Oct. 13 on Facebook and Instagram that it had been "officially and immediately suspended" by the market director, The Olympian reported Thursday.

According to the vendor's post, the market told it to cover its knives and tools to keep "little fingers away from the knives." The vendor said it complied, saw sales drop by half, and removed the barrier after concluding its booth had been approved as-is and that the vendor handbook gave the director no authority to change it. The post also said the business did not carry liability insurance because it understood none was required.

Owner Kevin Box, who has sold at the market for nearly three years, told The Olympian there had been no incidents at his table. "I'm really, frankly, not a dangerous table," he said.

The market's board disputes the vendor's account. In a statement shared with The Olympian and with vendors, the board said several of the vendor's public statements "present a misleading account of the Market's actions." Market representatives declined to be named, saying they had received angry and threatening emails; the director could not be reached, the paper reported.

The board's timeline says the director notified Crafted Restorations in writing on Sept. 9 that bladed merchandise had to be secured by Oct. 1. The vendor displayed a plexiglass guard for one market week, then removed it Oct. 8, according to the suspension notice. The board said the insurance requirement went to all vendors, not just Crafted Restorations, and that the director granted the vendor's Oct. 11 request for more time to provide proof of coverage. The Oct. 13 notice laid out conditions for return and the vendor's options to respond and appeal, the board said.

Box told The Olympian he is buying new display cases to comply and hopes to be reinstated soon. The market is the largest part of his business, he said, and he would likely have to lay off an employee if he cannot return. His knives are also sold online, at The Rolling Pin in west Olympia and at Childhood's End Gallery downtown.

The vendor-owned market at 700 Capitol Way N. sits on Port of Olympia property and is open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday through Sunday through October.