Janna Taylor closed her restaurant at the Olympia Farmers Market in April after receiving a new contract she said would have set her up for failure.

Taylor is the third vendor to publicly detail concerns about a stricter operating environment at the market near the Port of Olympia marine terminal, The Olympian reported Nov. 8. The market's four-member board of directors responded collectively in a written statement addressing the growing complaints.

Taylor ran Mother's Roots Kitchen, a scratch-cooking restaurant, at the market from August 2023 until April 2026. That departure came around the time former market director Isabel Thomas was let go and replaced by Alvi Stuart. The reason for the director change remains unclear.

Taylor told The Olympian she closed suddenly after receiving a new contract from the board, just a week before it was due. The contract differed from previous years, she said. It barred selling out early, required full stock during all market hours, allowed zero closed market days without exception and prohibited menu changes.

In prior years, she had eight days of vacation or unexcused absences per season, she said.

Taylor called those terms unworkable for a small restaurant with a 400-square-foot kitchen and seasonal menus. She said she feels she was set up for failure.

Taylor now works as a personal chef and caterer under the Mother's Roots name.

Board responds collectively

The board members are Greg Knight, Jim Johnson, Andrew Shirley and Lenore Tetreault, according to the market's website. They replied to The Olympian as a group.

The market operates under policies in its "Green Book," the board wrote. Enforcing those policies and making disciplinary decisions falls to the market director. The board's role is limited to the formal appeal process.

"Because these matters involve individual vendors, the Board does not publicly discuss specific disciplinary decisions or related correspondence," the board wrote.

When The Olympian reported on the first two vendor disputes in October, one board member declined to speak on the record and another could not be reached.

Knife maker still waiting

Crafted Restorations, a knife-making business suspended in October, continues to seek reinstatement. Co-owners Kevin and Stacy Box secured the liability insurance and protective displays the market required, according to emails shared with The Olympian.

An Oct. 23 exchange showed the suspension remained in effect because an inspection of the new display had not been scheduled.

In their correspondence, Crafted Restorations wrote that it had made multiple attempts to schedule the inspection and had repeatedly requested a response from the director and the board.

Market director Stuart responded Nov. 1, writing that she would deliver her decision within one week by certified mail.

The Boxes wrote back asking why the decision could not come by email, citing the impact the suspension has had on their business and family.

Co-owner Kevin Box said on the evening of Nov. 6 that the letter had not arrived. The board said certified mail provides documentation of delivery of important correspondence.

The two earlier vendor cases involved Odin's Alchemy Brewing, suspended in September after a customer sampled a beverage while the owner stepped away, and Crafted Restorations. Odin's Alchemy owner said he would not return.