shop local :
Featured Stories
Sam Hopkins
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
"Main Street." What does that mean, really? It's as much an idea as a place, as much a goal for which to strive as a set of storefronts. Baltimore has a dozen or more Main Streets, each with its own unique character and its own set of challenges. We visited one of the lesser-known examples -- East Monument Street -- to learn more about its history and what's happening there today.
Renee Libby Beck
Tuesday, April 05, 2011
As a city of neighborhoods, Baltimore's independent food markets add an atmosphere and appeal that trumps standard, big-name grocery stores. Baltimore's small grocers abide by the philosophy that quality products and the highest level of customer service will make and keep them neighborhood mainstays.
Sam Hopkins
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Bmore's Sam Hopkins teamed up with WYPR's The Signal to produce an audio piece to accompany our recent article on Kayam Farm. Click through to give it a listen.
Jason Policastro
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
When discussion turns to neighborhood success stories in Baltimore the usual suspects tend to get most of the glory. We hear quite a bit about Canton, Federal Hill, and, more recently, Harbor East. Which is fair enough -- those are indeed successes. But they're not the only ones. A less heralded but no less significant story is playing out as we speak in Park Heights, a neighborhood that has seen its share of struggle but which appears poised to finally emerge from the shadows.
Sam Hopkins
Tuesday, March 01, 2011
"What is this earth I live on -- within half an hour of my house -- capable of producing right now?" It's a question both asked and answered at Kayam Farm, where Jewish agricultural traditions point the way to a better, more meaningful relationship with food. Bmore's Sam Hopkins went behind the scenes to learn more.
Neal Shaffer
Tuesday, February 08, 2011
Baltimore's industrial past is present at every turn, woven into both our infrastructure and our DNA. Yet one would be hard pressed to accurately describe present-day Charm City as a manufacturing town. What happened, and where do we go next? The answers lie in understanding the lessons of the past and adapting to a new and possibly better future.
Staci Wolfson
Tuesday, December 07, 2010
Do long lines and crowded parking lots at malls and big box stores strike you as a less-than-appealing holiday prospect? Us, too. Good thing you've got options. The "shop local" scene in Baltimore is alive, well, and ready to welcome you with open arms this season.
Neal Shaffer
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
It started back in 2000 with Roots Market, an attempt to provide an alternative to both Whole Foods and the smaller, independent natural foods stores. Today it's 175 employees and eight stores strong. Meet Jeff and Holly Kaufman, the green entrepreneurs behind Clarksville's Conscious Corner.
Staci Wolfson
Tuesday, November 09, 2010
On Saturday, November 13th a handpicked group of artisans and craftspeople will convene at Woodberry Kitchen for Becket Hitch, a one-of-a-kind pop-up shop and self-described "makers market." We sat down with the event's co-founders -- Kohli Flick and Katie McDonough Kutil -- to learn more about the ideas and inspiration behind the event.
Neal Shaffer
Tuesday, November 02, 2010
Like many Baltimore neighborhoods, Highlandtown is blessed with both rich history and as-yet-untapped future potential. The question is: how to connect those dots? We talked to one area developer who just might have an answer.
Staci Wolfson
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Sisters Kelley and Kasey Evick had other goals in mind -- they never really imagined they'd start a natural bath and body products business. Yet that's exactly where they are today with Biggs & Featherbelle. We caught up with the Hampden-based entrepreneurs to learn more about how they got here and where they're headed next.
Sam Hopkins
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
As with all things, there's more than one way to view the Great Recession. For some it's a tale of banking malfeasance and abstract approaches to risky investment. That's fine as far as it goes, but what about the human component? We took to the streets of Baltimore's Waverly neighborhood and found three small business owners who each have their own stories to tell about challenge, hardship, and perseverance.
Neal Shaffer
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Entrepreneur and shopkeeper Daniel Wylie looks to plug a hole in Baltimore's menswear market with Sixteen Tons, a new Hampden venture steeped in classic American style.
Sam Hopkins
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
What's the human equivalent of the energy it takes to power a blender? Entrepreneur Natan Lawson helps us find out by bringing bike-powered smoothies to Baltimore.
Sarah Perry
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
The agony. The ecstasy. The sewing. September heralds fall fashion everywhere, and in Baltimore this month, a boutique owner and a designer aim to give local women some Baltimore couture of their very own.