Shop local : Development News

Bazensky's, a family-owned furniture store, has moved to Middle River and expanded its product line to attract a broader range of clients.

Last month, the store moved from 1727 E. Joppa Rd. in Parkville to 917 Middle River Rd.

The store that once sold mostly dining room sets, patio furniture, and bar fixtures now also carries sofas, bedroom furniture, and a full line of home furnishings.

As the economy went south, Bazensky's could no longer afford to specialize in a particular type of furniture, Owner Miriam Bazensky says. That's because customers are now less interested in spending time and money driving around to various stores to furnish their home.
"People don't want to waste gas going from one store to another," Bazensky says.

The home furnishings business has been severely hurt by the downturn in the housing market.

"It's been a challenge to accommodate [customers]. People are asking for severe discounts but I can't stay in business and give the same discounts as the big box stores," Bazensky says.

The store now has a wider range of prices. Sofas start at $429 and barstools cost anywhere from $99 to $600.
"Some people don't want to spend that much money," Bazensky says. "They need to put food on the table � and we want it to be one of our tables."

The company is spending about $100,000 to move to the 11,000-square-foot standalone building and expand its product line.

But the business owner says she believes the investment will pay off.

"It was risky not to move," Bazensky says.

Middle River seemed like a good location because it is convenient to residents in Cecil and Harford Counties, Bazensky says.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Miriam Bazensky, Bazensky's

Got an idea for a new shop but don't have the startup money?

Downtown Partnership of Baltimore is looking for proposals to set up temporary shops, or pop-up stores, in unused first-floor space in downtown buildings.

The initiative, dubbed OPERATION: Storefront, aims to connect available first-floor building space with entrepreneurs, restaurateurs, artists and nonprofits. Successful applicants will get up to $10,000 to start and operate their business. Funding for the program comes from a property tax surcharge on some downtown commercial businesses that went into effect July 1.

Proposals for the pop-up stores are due Nov. 22. A panel organized by Downtown Partnership will review the entries and select those that are the best fit for any given site.

Pop-up stores have risen in popularity as a relatively low-risk way to fill space as retail vacancies have risen amid a lackluster economy.

The economy has forced some shops to close or developments to stall in downtown Baltimore. A good way to fill those spots is by encouraging entrepreneurs and artists to open temporary stores, says Mackenzie Paull, retail and economic development manager for Downtown Partnership.  

And hopefully, with financial and other assistance, some of these stores will turn into thriving, permanent businesses.

"We're hoping they can blossom into self-sustaining enterprises," Paull says.

Downtown Partnership will help startups negotiate leases and get the necessary permits and licenses from the city.

The area that the downtown advocacy group is looking to fill is bounded by Center Street to the north, President Street to the east, Pratt Street to the south and Greene Street to the west. Priority will be given to proposals that seek to fill space on Charles Street between Lombard and Franklin, and Calvert Street, between Lombard and Baltimore.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Mackenzie Paull, Downtown Partnership of Baltimore

An interior decorator has designs on Federal Hill.

Fanny Zigdon will open SoBo Design Loft LLC on Oct. 12 at 20 W. Cross St. The appointment-only showroom will sell contemporary furnishings from Miami designer Alex Turco along with Adriana Hoyos, from Ecuador. Zigdon will also use the 900-square-foot space to consult with interior design clients.

Zigdon spent around $50,000 to buy inventory and refurbish the historic property � an old building that has "been around as long as Fort McHenry."

She chose the Federal Hill neighborhood because she likes the historic architecture that blends well with her furnishings and design aesthetic. The area is full of young people updating their old homes who she hopes will appreciate her style. She says she favors clean lines and simplicity with a "splash of glamour."

"There's a lot going on in Federal Hill. It's still growing," Zigdon says.

If the shop does well, Zigdon may expand the store's offerings to include a full retail furniture line. She also expects to eventually open an office in Pikesville, where she lives.

The New York native attended design school at the Community College of Baltimore County.

Zigdon recently volunteered as a design assistant to the producers for the "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Baltimore," scheduled to air on ABC this Sunday. Zigdon set up the show's workrooms with window treatments and furniture.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Fanny Zigdon, SoBo Design Loft LLC

Hampden's main thoroughfare, the Avenue, will soon be home to a new caf� and art gallery.

The Arthouse will open the first week of November at 1115 W. 36 St. With seating for about 100, the two-story restaurant will feature an espresso bar and works from local artists, says Lou Catelli, who is helping to get the 2,000-square-foot restaurant up and running.

The restaurant could grow its own produce on site if the owners get zoning approval for a rooftop garden, Catelli says.

The owners, Joan Delina and Deb Smith, are applying for a new liquor license, which requires that they invest a minimum of $200,000 into a restaurant of that size.

The Arthouse will be open from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m., serving lunch and dinner.

The menu will be "eclectic," Catelli says, featuring local produce, free-range meats, and Maryland wines. Entrees will run about $15 and include seafood, meat, and vegetarian dishes.

Catelli has worked with several local restaurants including Sotto Caf� in downtown Baltimore and 13.5% wine bar in Hampden.

Catelli says "bohemian" Hampden seemed like the ideal spot for an art gallery and caf�.

"Hampden is the center of excitement," Catelli says. The area has got a mix of young professionals, students, and professors who patronize local shops, along with a tight-knit group of merchants.

"There's no other neighborhood that's happening like Hampden right now," he says.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source Lou Catelli, the Arthouse

Shops selling teen fashion accessories, curtains and fries are the latest to debut at Hunt Valley Towne Centre.

Country Curtains, Five Below, Boardwalk Fresh Burgers & Fries and Chick-Fil-A opened within the last two months at the open-air shopping center anchored by Wegmans Food Markets.

Five Below, a discount retailer targeting teens, opened a 9,000-square-foot store selling school supplies, sporting goods, games, fashion accessories and bath and body products. Everything in the store costs $5.00 or less.

Boardwalk Fresh Burgers & Fries opened a 2,500-square-foot store on the second level of the mall, next to Greetings & Readings.
Country Curtains sells drapes, bedding, pillow and other home d�cor in its 3,100-square-foot store. It moved to the center at 118 Shawan Rd. from another Hunt Valley location on York Road.

Later this year, the shopping center will welcome MVP Entertainment, the Ray Lewis-backed bowling alley and restaurant. The 62,000-square-foot facility will feature a sports bar, billiard tables, golf simulators, a coffee bar and 38 bowling lanes equipped with flat-screen televisions.

"It will add a tremendous amount of entertainment," says Greenberg Gibbons Commercial Corp. Chief Operating Officer Tom Fitzpatrick. Greenberg Gibbons is the developer of the Main Street-style shopping center.

Fitzpatrick says he sees a bit of an uptick in the retail market, which soured during the recession.

"The retailers that have the capital to expand are certainly doing so," he says.

To win over business owners, Greenberg touts the center's ample parking and anchor tenant Wegmans. With the new tenants, that leaves all but one space in the nearly 1 million-square-foot shopping center leased.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Tom Fitzpatrick, Greenberg Gibbons

As the mother of four growing kids, Pam Corkran goes through a lot of clothes.

Corkran, is opening a consignment shop at 2123 N. Charles St. with the hopes that she can help out other moms, as well as students and professionals in similar shoes.

The Charles Village store called Too Good to be Thru will open Sept. 23 and hold a grand opening that day with food and music.
 
The shop will sell mostly clothes and home d�cor. Corkran hopes she can attract students and professionals at Johns Hopkins University, and area accountants and lawyers.

The shop owner has invested $10,000 to open the 1,750-square-foot store and took classes at the state-run small business development center at Towson University to get assistance with her business plan.

Originally from West Va., Corkran grew up in the neighborhood and wanted to come back to the area to start a business. The two-story store will sell shoes, purses, scarves, hats, skirts and dresses.

"It brought back a lot of memories," Corkran says of being in the neighborhood.

She found the space through a friend who owns the building.

So far, she has been promoting the store at area festivals, including Artscape, and on her Facebook page. 

It took about 18 months to get the building ready for business. It turns out that Baltimore City puts a consignment shop on equal footing as a pawn shop, so she had to get the support of neighborhood associations. She also had to get special zoning approval since the shop is in a residential building.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Pam Corkran, Too Good to be Thru

Roland Park residents seeking vintage fashions from the 1960s and 1970s now have a place to shop.

Myrtle Dove Vintage opened last month at 5006 Lawndale Ave. The 800-square-foot store sells men, women's and children's clothing, jewelry, sunglasses, shoes, wigs, toys and hats. It also sells vintage housewares, including tablecloths, fabrics and pottery.

Owners Michelle Walsh and Mary Walsh-Reynolds last year started an online vintage store on eBay. They seized the chance to open a bricks-and-mortar store when another vintage shop in that space left.

"Vintage clothing has been a passion for my sister and me," Walsh says.

The sisters get their merchandise from estate sales, flea markets, yard sales and thrift stores.

The pair chose the Roland Park neighborhood because it's chock full of residents with plenty of disposable income. The location is also close to a consignment store that sells used designer clothes that complement their merchandise.

Though business has been a little slow in August, Walsh expects it will pick up in the fall as people return from vacation.

The shop is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m.

Walsh declined to say how much the owners spent to open the store.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Michelle Walsh

The owner of a Howard County furniture store plans to expand to new locations. Nitoo Singh says he is actively looking for sites in Howard, Prince George's and Anne Arundel Counties to open another Furniture Express location. He doesn't know how many stores he will open, however: He says it depends on the sites he finds and how the economy fares over the next few months.

Singh is looking for spaces in high traffic areas with good visibility, at around 8,000 to 10,000 square feet.

Furniture Express currently has one location, at 8909 McGaw Court in Columbia, which opened during Memorial Day weekend this year. The 9,000-square-foot building is accessible from Interstate 175 and Snowden River Pkwy. Singh likes the location because he lives in Columbia, making the commute an easy one.

Furniture Express' brands include La-Z-Boy Co., Vaughn Bassett, Best Home Furnishings, Coaster Company of America and Global Fine Furniture. The company can offer faster delivery, between 21 and 30 days, rather than the usual eight to 12 weeks at many furniture stores, Singh says. That's because it mostly sells American-made products, so the chairs and beds don't take as long to get to the showroom.

"These are times when people are looking for instant gratification," Singh says.

Though a lot of furniture stores have buckled during the downturn, Singh hopes he can fare better by controlling his overhead costs, offering shorter delivery times and focusing on customer service.

The store delivers to Prince George's, Howard, Anne Arundel and Montgomery Counties. It also delivers to Northern Virginia.


Source: Nitoo Singh, Furniture Express
Writer: Julekha Dash

Dana Valery often wished she could pick up organic fruit, milk and eggs every few days from her neighborhood corner grocer the way Europeans do, rather than make the massive trip to the supermarket every couple of weeks. So she and her husband Ernst Valery are making that wish a reality with the opening of Milk and Honey Market. The Mount Vernon shop at 816 S. Cathedral Street will open Oct. 1.

The 1,700-square-foot store is an offshoot of West Philadelphia's Milk and Honey Market, owned by friends of the Baltimore husband-and-wife team. Philly owners Annie Baum-Stein and Mauro Daigle consulted on the design and concept of the Baltimore store.

The store will sell a mix of fresh produce, meats, breads and honey and feature a caf� serving espresso, lattes and fresh-fruit smoothies. Breads will come from Stone Mill Bakery in Lutherville. The couple is talking with a number of local farmers who will supply the produce and cheeses. Valery declined to name them because they are still in the discussion stage.

"We're shooting for high quality products that are fresh and local," Valery says.

The couple chose the neighborhood because it has a nice mix of businesses, residents and students who will hopefully want to shop at a store like theirs. It also lacks a Whole Foods Market or other competing store and is easy to walk around.

Valery says she's catering to folks like herself who often go away on the weekends and can't make it to the local farmers' market on the weekends.

Nancy Hooff and Jim Campbell, a Washington, D.C., couple who own a development company, are also part-owners in the business. 


Read more about what's happening in Mt. Vernon.

Source: Dana Valery, Milk and Honey Market
Writer: Julekha Dash

Love Culture, a growing women's apparel company based in Los Angeles, has put Greater Baltimore on its expansion map. The chain, which offers stylish clothing at affordable prices, opened its 28th store July 14 at Towson Towson Center.

Located on the first floor of the mall near American Eagle Outfitters and Hollister, the 10,000-square foot store is the latest shop to come to the mall. Earlier this month, BmoreMedia reported that Tiffany, Michael Kors and True Religion Brand Jeans are opening shops at the mall this fall.

The retailer targets regional and enclosed shopping malls for new stores. The company chose Towson Towson Center because it has a strong retail mix whose customers will hopefully gravitate to Love Culture, says Bill Fowler, the company's executive vice president of real estate.

Love Culture's fashion concept is similar to Forever 21 and H&M. It's designs appeal to girls and women, aged 15 to 45, Fowler continues.

Each store has a slightly differently layout and look, employing dramatic design accessories, such as pink motorcycles or trees. Other design elements include etched glass and graphics on the windows and ceramic tile floors. 

Founded in 2007, Love Culture plans to open seven new stores this year and another 20 to 30 locations across the U.S.  next year, Fowler says.

Asked whether additional stores will open in Maryland, Fowler says that depends on how sales at the Towson store perform. The real estate team will examine each new prospective site on a case-by-case basis.

Love Culture also has stores in Arizona, Texas, California, Oregon, Washington, Michigan, New York and Florida.


Source: Bill Fowler, Love Culture
Writer: Julekha Dash

Women's fashion store Coldwater Creek will open its seventh Maryland store in mid-October at the Mall in Columbia. Known for its comfortable, outdoorsy clothes, the chain selects upscale locations that have a strong mix of retailers, says Erin Mullen, the Sandpoint, Idaho chain's catalog marketing manager.

"The center has the look and feel and the caliber of retailers we want to be among," Mullen says of the Mall in Columbia.

Other shops at the mall include Nordstrom, Macy's, H&M, Williams-Sonoma and Restoration Hardware. The 6,000-square-foot store will open on the first floor in the Nordstrom wing of the mall.

One of the wealthiest counties in the nation, Howard County's demographics appealed to the retailer as well, Mullen says. Howard County's median household income of $101,672 ranked third in the country, according to the Howard County Economic Development Authority.

"We consider ourselves an upscale retailer and we thought it was a good fit," Mullen says. "It's a great area that is diverse and central and our customers are there," she says of Columbia.

Coldwater Creek appeals to women over 35 with an average annual household incomes greater than $75,000.

The county's numerous parks and trails also make it a good location for Coldwater Creek.

"It's a brand that is rooted in nature and a comfortable way of approaching fashion," Mullen says.

Coldwater Creek operates 360 stores nationwide and has been expanding. The company plans to open approximately 20 new stores in fiscal 2010, which ends Jan. 31, 2011.

The company pulled in $1.04 billion in annual sales last year.

Source: Erin Mullen, Coldwater Creek
Writer: Julekha Dash

A 27-year-old Washington, D.C., area tile company is taking its stone, glass and ceramics designs to Baltimore's Canton neighborhood. Architectural Ceramics plans to open a 1,600-square-foot showroom at 3500 Boston St. by mid-August, according to Brooke Laura, an executive assistant at the company.

The firm has had an office in the building known as the Broom Factory for about two years. But the office was quickly growing out of space to store enough tiles to show clients, Laura says.

"Our tiles fills up our office pretty quickly," she says.

The showroom will serve mainly residential clients, though the company's Baltimore area clients also include hotels, designers, architects and other commercial business.

Architectural Ceramics' other showrooms are located in Rockville, Chevy Chase, Alexandria, Va., and Falls Church, Va.

The company settled on the location because it's convenient to Fells Point and downtown, and is visible from the road, Laura says.

"It's a prime location that we really like," Laura says. "We wanted to get it while we could. We've been doing well there for two years. We think it will be a great location."

Though the housing market continues to recover, the company hopes it can  fill a niche in the area as there aren't many tile companies in the area.

"We'll be filling a void in the Baltimore area," Laura says. "That's our hopes anyway. "

Source: Brooke Laura, Architectural Ceramics
Writer: Julekha Dash

More luxury brand names are coming to Towson Town Center, including one of the most iconic high-end shops � Tiffany & Co. Known for its trademarked turquoise boxes, the jeweler will open the 3,500-square-foot store Sept. 3.

"It's a wonderful magnet tenant that we hope will attract other tenants and many more shoppers," says Towson Town Center General Manager Chuck Crerand. It will be Tiffany's second Maryland store. The other is located in Chevy Chase. 

Michael Kors and True Religion Jeans will join Tiffany in Towson Town Center's luxury wing in September.  

The 1,700-square-foot store will be sportswear apparel firm Michael Kors' first standalone Maryland shop. It is also True Religion's first foray into Maryland, with its 1,500-square-foot store. The closest True Religion standalone store is in Washington, D.C.'s tony Georgetown neighborhood. The Los Angeles-based designer jean company 's denim can set you back about $200.

Though retailers have curtailed their expansions during the last couple of years due to the recession, Crerand is now seeing more interest in new store openings.

"I think it's starting to come back," Crerand says. "I think more retailers are interested in expanding again."

The mall expanded nearly two years ago, with an additional 110,000 square feet. The expansion included a luxury wing whose shops include Burberry, Louis Vuitton, Lacoste, Bose and Lush. After analyzing the area's demographics, mall management decided that the area could support high-end stores.

The average household income within a three-mile radius of Towson is $93,000, according to the Baltimore County Department of Economic Development. The area contains nearly 93,000 residents, about half of whom hold a college degree.

"It's exciting cachet for that mall," says David S. Iannucci, executive director of the Baltimore County Office of Economic Development, of the Tiffany store.

"The Greater Towson area has a strong buying public that would make national retailers identify the site for stores," Iannucci says. Towson residents have a "great appreciation for the finer things in life."

Tiffany's new store is one of 16 stores the company is opening this year.  The company pulled in $2.7 billion in sales in its most recent fiscal year.


Source: Chuck Crerand, Towson Town Center
Writer: Julekha Dash

After three years of jockeying for space in craft shows, jewelry designer Susan Morris decided the time was right to showcase her products in her own space.

Morris opened boutique Simply Charmed in downtown Bel Air June 5. In addition to selling her own bracelets and necklaces, the store displays the work of 14 other artists. Located at 138 N. Bond St., Simply Charmed sells candles, wine glasses, dresses, purses and home d�cor.

Selling at shows is tough because you have to apply and be accepted and there is typically a limit on the amount of jewelry an artist can sell, Morris says. "I've always had a dream of opening a boutique," Morris says. "Vendors shows are a hard type of environment to be in."

Morris spent about $30,000 to open the 1,700-square-foot store. She also likes the store's spot because it gets plenty of drive-by and foot traffic, thanks to the location next to Bel Air Bakery.

Downtown Bel Air has also been undergoing significant revitalization with new businesses moving in and events that promote downtown businesses. These include a Girls Night Out the third Thursday of every month, with extended shopping hours and store promotions. "I've seen so many changes on Main Street. There's a lot going on in downtown Bel Air."

The mother of three started designing jewelry after seeing her sister do the same. After friends and friends of friends started asking her to design pieces for them, Morris' hobby turned into a business that she could do while looking after her three kids at home.

Morris' own signature jewelry piece is a sterling silver chain containing variety of charms and a personalized message.

Source: Susan Morris, Simply Charmed
Writer: Julekha Dash

Westminster Main Street Program has received a state design award that economic development officials hope will help it attract more businesses to the downtown area.

The city received the 2010 Main Street Maryland Excellence Award for Design for fixing up its commercial and residential buildings and implementing a $2 million fa�ade improvement program.

The state Main Street awards recognize projects that improve the appearance and economy of historic downtown business districts. Awards are given for design, economic restructuring, promotion and organization. A fifth award is granted for Main Streets that are clean, safe and green. Westminster netted an award for organizational excellence two years ago.

"It shows that our programs are working and we're getting recognition from the outside," says Stan Ruchlewicz, administrator of the Westminster Office of Economic Development and Main Street program manager, of the award. "Our goal is to get all five awards."

Westminster is one of 23 commercial districts that the state has designated as a Main Street community.

Downtown Westminster counts about 300 businesses, including 75 retailers and 24 restaurants. The area has been gaining 10 to 15 businesses per year in the last nine years, Ruchlewicz says.

The design award will hopefully encourage more businesses to take advantage of the Main Street Program. Entrepreneurs can receive up to $20,000 in fa�ade improvement grants if they maintain their business for five years.

"We're hoping that will give us more businesses," Ruchlewicz says of the awards. 

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Stan Ruchlewicz