A Washington, D.C., restaurant owner has taken her Southern-style cuisine to Baltimore's Charles Street. CR Lounge opened its doors July 31 at 518 N. Charles Street, formerly IXIA. The restaurant, which serves shrimp and grits and other Southern-style cuisine, celebrates its grand opening August 7.
Owner Tegist "Teggy" Ayalew, who also operates
Cr�me Caf� and Lounge on U Street in D.C, spent about $50,000 to furnish the 3,700-square-foot restaurant. The kitchen equipment was already in place and the landlord held onto the former restaurant's liquor license, making the initial investment relatively small.
"This was a very good opportunity. I know it's a bad economy but I'm excited about what I can offer," she says.
Ayalew describes the look and feel of the restaurant as "upscale casual," with the average dish costing around $14.
Initially, CR Lounge will seat 75 downstairs. But the business owner will eventually open the second floor and seat a total of 190 guests. The restaurant is open Tuesday through Sunday and serves Saturday and Sunday brunch.
She will continue to operate the restaurant in Washington, D.C., and is even looking for another site for a second location in the nation's capital. However, her long-term plan is to make Baltimore her home.
"The people are very pleasant and welcoming. The neighborhood is very supportive," she says of Mount Vernon.
She also likes the historic buildings on
Mount Vernon's Charles Street and says she "fell in love with it" on her first day in town.
"That area is culturally rich and we love the arts and music. We were very interested in being part of that."
The restaurant will display art from Ethiopia, where Ayalew was born. CR Lounge will employ 20 people.
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Source: Tegist Ayalew, CR Lounge
Writer: Julekha Dash