shopping : Development News

DIY home improvement enthusiasts in Canton don't have much longer to wait for their new hardware store.
 
Canton Ace Hardware will open in mid-September at 1001 S. Lakewood Ave., following an investment of as much as $800,000 from owners, says Rachel Machacek, a spokeswoman for Ace Hardware in Greater Baltimore. The store will be located across the street from the Canton Safeway. 
 
Co-owners Gina Schaefer and Marc Friedman invested between $600,000 and $800,000 to open and renovate the 11,000-square-foot space. Schaefer and Friedman own seven other Ace stores in Baltimore and Washington, including locations in Waverly and Federal Hill. 
 
While the space was close to move-in ready, the company did complete some renovations, including adding a new HVAC system, new offices and lighting.
 
Canton attracted the owners because of its walkability, neighborhood feel, and its proximity to independent shops and restaurants. The company wants local residents to have a shop in the neighrborhood for their home improvement needs without having to get into the car and make a lengthy drive, Machacek says.
 
The store will look to employ 15 workers initially, Machacek says.
 
The store will sell a variety of products including basic hardware, housewares, lawn and garden supplies, patio furniture, and more. And, you can bring your dog there. 
 
As part of the national Ace Hardware co-operative, the stores are locally owned establishments that bring jobs and business to the local economy, Machacek says.
 
 
Source: Rachel Machacek, communications manager, A Few Cool Hardware Stores
Writer: Alexandra Wilding, [email protected]
 

The New Park Heights Community Development Corp. Inc. finalized a deal this month to buy the Park Lane Shopping Center in Northwest Baltimore for $7 million and is plotting the center's long-awaited redevelopment.
 
The nonprofit's president and CEO Will J. Hanna II says it bought the shopping center at 4400 Park Heights Ave. with private funding.

Three years ago, Baltimore City and the Baltimore Development Corporation approved a $4 million bond to be used for the redevelopment of the shopping center as part of the Park Heights Revitalization area. Hanna says he expects work to begin in January and to be finished by the fall. Stores at the shopping center, at the corner of Park Heights and Coldspring Lane, will remain open during the work.

Park Lane Shopping Center is 263,000 square feet in size, a figure that includes a large parking lot in the rear. Hanna says it is 85 percent occupied, and current tenants include a Dollar Store, pharmacy, mattress store and check cashing place. The CDC will be seeking a bank and other new tenants once the renovations are done. 
 
Hanna estimates the shopping center is more than four decades old and says it looks "dated." The redevelopment of the property will include a refacing of the exterior and a reallocation of the size of the spaces within, to allow for more new tenants. 
 
The construction of a library on part of the rear parking lot is also under consideration. “The community wants and needs a library,” says Hanna. He says he has not contacted Baltimore City’s Enoch Pratt Library System and a library would most likely be a private venture.
 
To celebrate the acquisition, the community’s annual “National Night Out” will be held at the Park Lane Shopping Center. Hanna says his group is partnering with the Baltimore City Police Department and city agencies for the anti-crime event.
 
Source: Will J. Hanna II, New Park Heights Community Development Corp. Inc.
Writer: Barbara Pash

Construction on the massive Marketplace at Fells Point project will close sidewalks and parking spaces of the westside of the 600 block of South Broadway Street for the next year as the developer works to preserve building facades in the neighborhood. 
 
The renovation of building facades or exteriors is part of the development plan to preserve the streetscape that has been there for 100 years, says Drew Dolben, senior vice president for Massachusetts developer the Dolben Co. Inc..
 
The developer is also constructing an entirely new building as part of the $40 million Marketplace at Fells Point project that broke ground in May. The project will eventually include 159 apartment units and more than 27,000 square-feet of retail space. Dolben acquired the rights to build the housing and retail portion of the project from Dave Holmes earlier this year. 
 
Dolben expects for tenants and residents to begin moving into the development within the next 15 months with the entire project completed in 20 months.
 
The smaller building on the eastside of Broadway will open first and the building on the westside will follow shortly after, Dolben says.
 
Meanwhile, in  Anne Arundel County, the Dolben Co. plans to complete its Village at Odenton Station before the end of September. 

The company has signed a lease with a dry cleaner and in currently in negotiations with a restaurant at the location. The company plans to have a mix of retail similar to a traditional main street including a coffee shop, a nail salon, a hair stylist, a spa  and a total of three restaurants.
 
Source: Drew Dolben, senior vice president for the Dolben Co. Inc. 
Writer: Alexandra Wilding, [email protected]

Construction on the Mall in Columbia’s expansion could begin as early as mid-January, according to Howard County officials. The 75,000-square-foot addition will add new shops and restaurants at the shopping center that is near 100 percent occupancy.

The makeover will add more outdoor space, landscaping and pedestrian-friendly design so it resembles more of a lifestyle center, says Mark Thompson, director of downtown redevelopment for Howard County.

"Consumers really enjoy that outdoor shopping experience," Thompson says. "Enhanced landscaping areas for sitting are very popular."

Those are some of the components of the Wegmans-anchored Hunt Valley Towne Centre and Annapolis Towne Centre at Parole, though mall officials say Columbia's plans aren't modeled on any specific shoppng center. 

General Growth Properties Inc., the mall's owner, will reopen the original mall entrance so patrons can walk directly from the mall to the pedestrian bridge that connects to the lakefront area across the street, says Mall in Columbia Marketing Manager Michelle Jose.

The mall’s first phase will be completed by the end of 2013. Jose says she does not yet know when the second phase will begin and could not say what new shops the expanded mall will hold. Nordstrom, Macy’s and JC Penney are among the 1.4 million-square-foot mall’s anchor tenants. It also has an Apple store, P.F. Chang’s and Cheesecake Factory.

The construction plans will likely include a smaller L.L. Bean to make room for the new tenants, Thompson says. At about 15,000 square feet, the outdoor clothing and recreation store will be about half the size. 

The mall’s expansion is one component of Columbia’s long-term redevelopment plan that calls for more open, walkable space so it resembles something like Reston, Va.

“The vision is to create a more urbanized area,” Thompson says. “The mall is a key component of downtown.”

The county’s planning board will hold a hearing on the mall’s expansion. The mall plans must also go through the county’s design advisory panel. 

Writer: Julekha Dash; [email protected]
Sources: Michelle Jose, Mall in Columbia; Mark Thompson, Howard County 

After 15 years of collecting one-of-a-kind and second-hand items from her travels, entrepreneur Mary Garcia plans to open a store dedicated to affordable uniqueness this August in the Barclay neighborhood near the Station North Arts & Entertainment District in Baltimore.
 
Garcia says she invested more than $50,000 in the merchandise and renovation of Old All-Around Vintage Finds, which she plans to open at 2129 St. Paul St. following a hearing at the city's zoning board August 7.
 
Garcia wants to create a place where the past meets the present where everyone from bargain hunters to vintage clothing lovers to children will find something at the new store. 
 
"This has been my dream. This is it," Garcia says.
 
The store will sell vintage women's clothing including fashions from the 1920s, 1960s and 1980s. The store will also sell a variety of pieces that Garcia has collected including decorative housewares and collectible dolls.
 
Garcia wants to improve the surrounding community that she describes as friendly and in-need of small businesses with affordable goods. Garcia also hopes to attract art students and visitors to nearby Station North to her shop.
 
As part of the renovations to the 900-square-foot space, Garcia added new windows and floor, repaired water damage, and installed French doors from the Habitat for Humanity ReStore.
 
Baltimore reminds Garcia of her native Dominican Republic, and she plans to relocate to the city from Silver Spring with her teenage daughters. She wants to expose them to the experience of owning a small business.
 
A first-time business owner, Garcia has worked for the past 25 years in customer service and has an academic background in merchandising and marketing.
 
Source: Mary Garcia, owner of Old All-Around Vintage Finds.
 Writer: Alexandra Wilding, [email protected]

Fresh, local produce is now just steps away for many Fells Point residents.  
 
Fleet Street Market, the brainchild of lawyer-turned grocer Claudette Torbey, opened this month at 2001 Fleet St. with a mission to provide fresh, local and organic foods for neighborhood residents.
 
For Torbey, the market is half about food and half about community. She saw the need for a neighborhood grocer and decided to pursue it hoping to improve the community along the way.
 
"I wanted fresh produce within walking distance. I live five blocks away, and I was frustrated to have to get in the car," Torbey says.

The owner says she is trying to source as many local products as possible in the 1,100-square-foot Fleet Street Market.
 
The store has everything from produce from Calvert Farms to local artisan producers supplying jams, granola and salsas.
 
There's all frozen pasta from Little Italy, fresh bread from Hamilton Bakery, milk from Trickling Springs Creamery, in addition to meat, cheese, sushi, cupcakes and other desserts. Torbey plans to make sandwiches on-site as well.
 
One comment on Yelp, a website that allows users to post reviews of local shops and restaurants, describes it as "Whole Foods meets corner bodega."
 
Tobey says the reaction from the community so far has been extremely positive.
 
"The neighborhood has really come out…people are saying hello, kids are here. I hope people enjoy shopping when they are here," she says.
 
 
Source: Claudette Torbey, owner of Fleet Street Market
Writer: Alexandra Wilding, [email protected]
 

A new boutique at 3610 Falls Road offers women another place to shop for vintage threads in Hampden.
 
My Dear Vintage opened June 2. Owner Brandi Foster rents the 200-square-foot space from entrepreneur Sue Caldwell above her shop Lovely Yarns.
 
My Dear Vintage sells fedoras, purses, dresses,  jackets, among other items, ranging from $3 to $65. The selection is a mix of both lesser-known brands and high-fashion designers Louis Vuitton, Chanel, and Hermes. Pieces date from the 1950s to the 1980s.
 
Foster wants to keep My Dear Vintage in Hampden but look for a larger location as the physical store becomes profitable. Within the next few months, Foster plans to add apartment items to her collection. In the next year, she hopes to offer retro clothing for men and kids, which she says she  believes are in high demand but often overlooked by shops.
 
Foster named the boutique in honor of her grandmother who sparked her passion for vintage clothing and whom she affectionately referred to as “my dear.”
 
Foster originally established My Dear Vintage as an online store in the summer of 2010. Once she was successful, the former Pikesville native wanted to scout out a physical location for the boutique in Hampden.
 
“Hampden has really changed. It’s a great place with young hipsters who like to shop,” Foster says.
 
She now lives 3 blocks away from her shop and enjoys perusing the boutiques of fellow Hampden merchants like Avenue Antiques for household gadgets. She runs the boutique solo. 

Writer: Jolene Carr
Source: Brandi Foster 

A new Hampden shop selling vintage clothing and threads from smaller designers hopes to appeal to both men and women in their search for that perfect T-shirt or unique accessory.
 
Hunting Ground opened last month in a 170-year-old church on Falls Road near the Avenue in Hampden.
 
Co-owners Jessica Soulen and Jenna Hattenburg have years of experience working in retail and decided to open a store where both men and women can shop together. They were looking to fill a void in Baltimore.
 
"Guys especially have a hard time finding stuff in Baltimore," Soulen says.
 
The 1,100-square-foot Hunting Ground aspires to create a casual atmosphere where shoppers can find interesting items, and neat accessories. Additionally, the shop buys clothing from people looking to sell items. The store's owners sell items that fit into a modern wardrobe versus having costume pieces, Soulen says.
 
The shop wanted to work with small designers to acquire its new clothing. The shop carries no big labels or anything you could find at the mall, Soulen says.
 
Soulen says that she and Hattenburg wanted to open a shop in Hampden to be close to a major shopping destination for Baltimore locals, but they didn't want a narrow space on the Avenue for their shop. Instead, they waited for a spot with more space and ended up with what Soulen describes as a very unique, warm, and inviting location with big windows and lots of light.
 
After acquiring the property, Soulen and Hattenburg worked on building out the space starting in November.
 
"We did everything ourselves from building racks to painting. Everything is custom-made," Soulen says.
 
The new project for the owners is to establish their e-commerce site to extend their sales to an international market.
 
 
Source: Jessica Soulen, co-owner of Hunting Ground
Writer: Alexandra Wilding, [email protected]

You just might find that treasure you've been looking for this weekend at the opening of the Station North Flea Market.
 
The season opens Saturday, May and will run on the first Saturday of every month until October at the corner of Lafayette and Charles Streets in the Station North Arts and Entertainment District.

Previously the market was held on the unit block of East North Avenue, but the decision was made to relocate the market from a busy and loud location on North Avenue to an area better scaled for a flea market, says Ben Stone, executive director of the Station North Arts and Entertainment District. 

One of the main goals of the market, Stone says, is to create a vibrant community event that engages locals, visitors, and artists alike. The market helps to build community for both older residents of Station North, as well as younger artists and students.  

This year, the flea market will commission some small, affordable pieces of artwork. The goal was to create a way for people to get quality art rather inexpensively, Stone says.
 
Other offerings include antiques, vintage clothes, crafts, and household items.
 
Stone expects at least one or two food trucks selling their culinary creations on-site.
 
If the weather is good, tours will be offered of the murals painted recently as part of the Open Walls Baltimore project. The opening of the flea market will also coincide with the opening of the Maryland Film Festival.
 
For vendors interested in participating in the flea market, the market is first-come, first-served. The cost is $20 and tables can be rented on site for $10.
 
Send an email to [email protected] to reserve a space in advance.
 
Source:  Ben Stone, executive director of the Station North Arts and Entertainment District.
Writer: Alexandra Wilding, [email protected]
 
 
 

Highlandtown businesses want to offer you a seat outside this summer.
 
Six restaurants and businesses in the Highlandtown Merchants Association submitted applications to the city's zoning board this month for outdoor table seating. The move is an attempt by area businesses to boost sales and beautify their neighborhood with outdoor seating.
 
The applications for outdoor seating were part of a plan, two years in the making, to create a more inviting space for diners and shoppers in the area, says Jody Rosoff, treasurer of the Highlandtown Merchants Association and owner of Docs Smokeshop on Eastern Avenue. Rosoff wants outdoor seating in front her business. 
 
Other businesses that want to have outdoor seating include the Creative Alliance, Filippo's Pizzeria, Mi Viejo Pueblito, and Little Morocco Cafe.
 
Rosoff says that outdoor seating for restaurants and other businesses will add dimension to storefronts and create a more "charming" atmosphere. The tables will also invite guests to stay around to shop and dine.
 
The Highlandtown Merchants Association paid for the $250 initial permit fee per business to encourage businesses to participate in the outdoor seating campaign, Rosoff says.
 
But the total cost of having outdoor seating is likely an investment of several thousand dollars for the expense of the tables and additional yearly fees.There are 300 businesses that are part of Highlandtown Main Street. 
 
As part of the permitting process, each merchant had to present a document with the proposed outdoor seating in front of their business. Each business will go before the city’s zoning board to determine if the business will be allowed to have outdoor seating. The city’s zoning board has yet to set a hearing date on applications from merchants in Highlandtown.

The Creative Alliance was already putting together an application for outdoor seating when they were approached by the merchant's association. The performing arts venue wanted to add outdoor table service for its new restaurant project in partnership with Clementine. Clementine at Creative Alliance, a full restaurant, will open May 17, says Andre Mazelin, theatre and rental manager at the Creative Alliance. 
 
 
Sources: Jody Rosoff, treasurer of the Highlandtown Merchants Association and owner of Docs Smokeshop on Eastern Avenue.
Andre Mazelin, theatre and rental manager at the Creative Alliance. 
Writer: Alexandra Wilding, [email protected]
 

Shoppers at Columbia’s new Wegmans Food Markets won’t have to go far to find that perfect wine for their meal.  A new 9,800-square-foot liquor store will open on the second floor of the Wegmans building, the store’s owner says.

Upstairs Wine, Liquor & Beer hopes to cater to shoppers at the new grocery store by offering a “Wegmans-type” shopping experience for customers with a huge variety of wines, beers, and spirits from all over the world, Owner Mike Smith says.

The store’s emphasis, Smith says, will be on wine and craft beers, including some from Maryland.

“This store will definitely not be a typical strip center package store,” Smith says.

For Smith, the location near Wegmans is ideal as he hopes Wegmans' customers will look to his store for liquor to accompany food purchases.

If Smith’s liquor license application receives approval from the Howard County Liquor Board May 1, he plans to open Upstairs Wine, Liquor & Beer within six to eight weeks. Construction is still underway and most of the store’s 20 to 25 employees still need to be hired and trained.

Wegmans will open June 17 off Snowden River Parkway and McGaw Road in Columbia.

A lawyer and 20-year resident of Ellicott City, Smith says he has made his own wines and brewed his own beer for over 20 years.

“You might say that I’m trying to branch out professionally into another area that very much interests me,” Smith says.

The shop also plans to offer tasting and other educational events to inform customers about wine and beer to enhance their meals, Smith says.


Source: Mike Smith, owner of Upstairs Wine, Liquor & Beer
Writer: Alexandra Wilding, [email protected]
 

Shoppers in the Inner Harbor will soon be able to satisfy their sweet tooth with treats like old school candy and chocolate shaped like crabs.
 
The Best of Luck Candy & Gifts, a specialty nostalgia candy and gift shop, will relocate May 1 from Harbor East to a larger location at 601 E. Pratt St. in the Power Plant entertainment complex, says owner Alexis "Lucky" Thompson.
 
In the new, approximately 900-square-foot location, the business will have double the space and plans to add a coffee bar in addition to new candies, gifts, custom gift baskets, and additional room for events such as birthday parties. Thompson also plans to offer more Baltimore-themed candy and gifts.
 
Thompson expects the new location will receive great visibility from both foot and car traffic.
 
Raised in Baltimore, Thompson says she always dreamed of owning a candy shop. She recently moved back to Baltimore with her husband after working in marketing in New York. The store opened at its previous location on 612 S. Exeter St. last October.
 
The store underwent a month of remodeling as part of a relaunching of the store's brand.
 
While the company has no plans for further expansion in the near future, they do plan to do more events such as bachelorette parties and showers. The company also recently added four new employees for the new shop, Thompson says.
 
Source: Alexis "Lucky" Thompson, owner of The Best of Luck Candy & Gifts
Writer: Alexandra Wilding, [email protected]
 
 

As the shopping complex readies for the opening of Maryland Live! Casino in June, new additions to Arundel Mills include Coach Men’s Factory and Kay Jewelers Outlet.
 
Coach Men’s Factory, which specializes in men's leather products, recently opened near the existing Coach Factory Store.
 
Kay Jewelers Outlet will open in a space near The Children's Place Outlet.
 
A newly remodeled Bath & Body Works store will open April 30, and Lane Bryant will relocate, says Gene Condon, general manager of Arundel Mills.

Maryland Live! Casino, slated to open early June, will feature slot machines and table games. Prominent restaurants inside the casino include The Cheesecake Factory, Phillips Seafood, and The Prime Rib.

In anticipation of the casino's opening, the mall will continue to focus on attracting name-brand retailers such as Coach and Kay Jewelers, Condon says. 

In addition, the mall has been working to improve the road network surrounding the mall and improving parking for the expected influx of guests, Condon says. 

 
Source: Gene Condon, general manager of Arundel Mills.
 Writer: Alexandra Wilding, [email protected]
 

From children’s hair-braiding to a market stocked with locally grown produce, Hamilton-Lauraville is home to several new and soon-to-open businesses.

Last week, Kinkx Studio, a kid-focused braiding studio opened at 2926 E. Cold Spring Lane. The studio serves children aged three to 14. The studio relocated from Charles Village from an office building to attract more traffic, says owner and CEO, Angelique Redmond.

The studio recently offered a deal on Living Social and more than 100 deals have been purchased, Redmond says. The studio also provides free movies, music, games, and refreshments for its young clients.

Redmond invested about $10,000 in the move, and the business currently has three employees.

On May 1, Supportech MD Inc. will open at 4517 Harford Rd. The business provides computer support for small businesses and will also offer drop-off computer repair services. Previously located in Towson, the relocation gives the business more space for the price, says owner John Lemonds.

For those looking for fresh, local food options, the long-anticipated Green Onion Market will open this spring, likely in May, says Regina Lansinger, director of Hamilton Lauraville Main Street.

Last year owner Winston Blick compared the market to a cross between Atwater’s and Milk & Honey Market.

Sources:
Regina Lansinger, director of Hamilton Lauraville Main Street
Angelique Redmond, owner of Kinkx Studio
John Lemonds, owner of Supportech MD Inc.

Writer: Alexandra Wilding, [email protected]

Seafood restaurant chain Bonefish Grill is eyeing Anne Arundel County for two new locations.

The Anne Arundel County liquor board this month granted a liquor license to open at Annapolis Towne Centre at Parole, an outdoor mall anchored by Whole Foods, Target and Restoration Hardware.
 
The 199-seat restaurant will have outdoor dining for 28 and replaces the shuttered Real Seafood Co., says liquor board administrator Judy J. Hagner. The restaurant received a deluxe liquor license, which requires that the owner invest at least $800,000 to open the property.
 
The restaurant chain also applied for a liquor license at the Village of Waugh Chapel in Gambrills, but the attorney asked to postpone the meeting in order to secure all the necessary paperwork, Hagner says. The next hearing will be held June 12.
 
A PR rep for Bonefish Grill says the company isn’t ready to release any information about the new locations. Greenberg Gibbons Commercial Corp., the developer for both sites, could not be reached for comment.
 
Bonefish Grill is one of the restaurant concepts of Tampa, Fla.-based OSI Restaurant Partners LLC. That’s the same company that is behind Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Roy’s, Outback Steakhouse and Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar.
 
Maryland currently houses six Bonefish Grill locations in Glen Burnie, Bel Air, Owings Mills, Frederick, Brandywine and Gaithersburg. 

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Judy Hagner and Edward Aronson, Anne Arundel County liquor board