CARY, N.C. -

After more than a year without physically running cars in the Evergreen State, McConkey Auction Group will resume in-person live auction sales this coming week at its Washington state locations, according to an update from the company.

DAA Northwest in Spokane will resume in-person sales with cars in the lanes on Thursday, with DAA Seattle to start back up Friday.

Every car will still also be available on Edge Simulcast, as well.

“In both Spokane and Seattle, we will need to wear masks, food service will be limited to prepackaged items, and office access will be very limited.  Only the lobby and the auction barn will be available to gather, and we will have to keep a safe distance apart from each other. That means no hugs — just elbow bumps!” MAG chief executive officer and president Bob McConkey said in the update.

“We’ve been waiting a long time and we are excited to see all of you who would like to be in the lanes at DAA,” he said.

A newsletter from ServNet — of which the McConkey group is a part — explained that DAA Northwest and DAA Seattle have hosted digital sales since May, but this week’s in-person sales will be the first for the two auctions since the outset of COVID-19.

Meantime, MAG has run both in-person and online sales at its DAA Las Vegas location, which it acquired in August.

“Washington State is moving into Phase 3 of reopening,” McConkey said in the ServNet enewsletter distributed early last week.

“I was thrilled to share our news with dealers before yesterday's sale here in Spokane,” he said.  “While things will not be the same as they were before COVID — we’ll be wearing masks while we social distance — we will be doing business in the lanes together and that's something we've been waiting a long time for!"

Even amid the pandemic, it has been a busy year for the McConkey group. In addition to the DAA Las Vegas purchase over the summer, MAG bought ABS Auto Auctions, a Southern California group, as reported by Auto Remarketing in November. 

In July, DAA Northwest held its signature Rock & Roll Sale virtually — and ended up with an 83% conversion rate for the event. 

Speaking of digital, 2020 began with McConkey group as the first independent auctions to link up with EBlock via Auction Edge, to debut its MAG Now dealer-to-dealer online auction platform. 

And as the second quarter of 2021 begins Thursday, so too will the return of physical sales in Washington for the group.