Shopping : Development News

Yorkridge Shopping Center in Timonium has signed up Towson How Bagels & Deli and Massage Envy as clients, making the center fully leased.
 
Kohl’s, Michaels and MOM’s Organic Market are the anchor tenants at the 180,000-square-foot shopping center. It will be Towson Hot Bagels & Deli’s third location in Greater Baltimore when it opens next month. Massage Envy, a national chain that offers several types of massages and facials., will open in the summer.
 
Mark Renbaum, CEO of developer Schwaber Holdings says there is currently has interest from a number of tenants, including national restaurants and clothing shops. The Pikesville real estate company has completed $1 million in renovations to the center in the last 18 months, Renbaum says. This includes the replacement of sidewalks and portions of the roof and landscaping.
 
The county has approved a parking variance that could enable the center to add 15,000 square feet of commercial space.  

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Mark Renbaum, Schwaber Holdings 

A mail-order food company specializing in high-end, gourmet foods like smoked salmon and caviar, expanded operations to a warehouse space in Owings Mills.
 
Chesapeake Fine Food Group, LLC leased 6,300 square-feet of warehouse and office space for their business of shipping perishable food products, says Kate Glenn, vice president of marketing for Chesapeake Fine Food Group.
 
The company previously subleased spaced in Essex. With their relocation, the company hopes they have found a home for the long term and plans to take more space in the area eventually, Glenn says.
 
The space only required minor modifications before they moved in this month, Glenn says.
 
Chesapeake Fine Food Group is the parent company of three mail-order catalogs: Mackenzie Limited, Chesapeake Bay Crab Cakes & More, and Impromptu Gourmet. The space serves as a shipping center for foods from all three catalogs.
 
Glenn says the company works with more than 100 vendors across the country and uses another center in Wisconsin to fill the majority of orders. The most common items processed at the Baltimore location are its gift baskets, chocolate, and caviar. The company is highly seasonal and does 70 percent of its business between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
 
The company added two employees over the past year and plans to add another two by the year's end.
 
 
Source: Kate Glenn, vice president of marketing for Chesapeake Find Food Group, LLC. 
Writer: Alexandra Wilding, [email protected]

The owner of an East Baltimore shopping center could spend as much as $5 million on renovations that will hopefully help it attract a restaurant, bank and other tenants.
 
The makeover is underway at the Erdman Shopping Center in the Belair-Edison neighborhood, says Peter Grose, vice president of Regional Management, Inc. 

The Erdman Shopping Center, built in the early 1960s to accommodate an expanding suburban population moving into the city's northern neighborhoods, sits north of Sinclair Lane between Edison Highway and Erdman Avenue. 

Current tenants at the 120,000-square-foot center include Rite Aid, Save-A-Lot and various clothing, cosmetic, and carryout food businesses. The shopping center serves daily and weekly needs of the neighboring community, Grose says. 

The company expects to invest between $1 million and $5 million on renovations, and plans to complete them between the next six to twelve months, Grose says.
 
The company plans to raze several buildings on-site, replacing them with a new 9,000-square-foot, multi-tenant space, as well as a stand-alone site that could house a restaurant or a bank.
 
"We have the financial ability to really lift this center, and provide a needed investment in a really solid neighborhood," Grose says.
  
The Erdland Co. took possession of the center in September 2011. Regional Management, a property management company in Baltimore, is overseeing the renovations and on-going management for The Erdland Co. 
 
No timelines have been set for the leasing of the new spaces, but Grose hopes to attract businesses that are consistent with current offerings in the center.
 
Grose says he hopes to attract a sit-down restaurant to the center, as local offerings are sparse.
 
Some of the completed renovations include painting, landscaping, removal of debris, old metal pipes and rusted fences, replacing curbs, and adding speed bumps, stop signs, and a new roof for the complex.
 
The majority of the renovations have yet to be completed and will include redoing the fronts and canopies of existing businesses, and a substantial redesign of the parking lot to include more green space and to soften the appearance of the center, Grose says.
 
The renovations are part of an effort to improve a run-down shopping center in a part of the city that has dealt with crime. Last summer, a man making a delivery to the center was shot and killed in the center's parking lot.
 
Grose hopes that the renovations provide the community with an additional level of support and optimism.
 
"Someone came in with private money and really believes the community will come back and do their shopping and get services in this center. It just needs some investment," Grose says.
 
 
 

Need a new necklace for a night out on the town? How about a custom-made hat for church? A shop planned for Canton hopes to have you covered.
 
Dana's Boutique, a shop specializing in accessories for both men and women, plans to open this spring pending approval from the city's zoning board March 6.
 
Owner Dana Church expects to invest somewhere between $5,000 and $8,000 to bring her boutique to 2400 Fleet St., a space most recently occupied by Baltimore Contained, a container garden shop and florist that closed last year.
 
Church's concept for the space combines couture fashion with a Paris theme. Some of the accessories will be from high-end labels, while others will be custom-made, Church says.
 
"I'm excited to bring something different the community in Canton. I'm hoping to stay there for the long-term and that Dana's Boutique becomes a name that people know and remember," Church says.
 
One designer Church plans to feature is Adrian Dana, recently featured in Lifetime's “Project Accessory,” a spinoff of the “Project Runway” reality television program. Dana specializes in ornate and colorful hats.
 
Church originally wanted a shop in Fells Point, but costs and competition drove her to look into other locations. After doing some research and speaking with local business owners, she decided the Fleet Street location a few blocks north of the Safeway and The Can Company shopping area in Canton was a good fit.
 
Outside of a paint job to match the theme of the boutique, the space is move-in ready, Church says.
 
Church grew up in northeast Baltimore and graduated from the former Northern High School in 1991. Prior to working in fashion, Church worked for a number of years at the U.S. Postal Service and also as a payroll accountant.
 
A mother of two, Church began selling jewelry in 2008. She had always loved fashion, but says she never had the drive to do it on her own until she actually started selling jewelry.
 
Pending zoning approval from the city, a grand opening for the boutique will be held on March 31 from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. at 2400 Fleet St. in Canton.

Source: Dana Church, owner of Dana's Boutique
Writer: Alexandra Wilding

A Massachusetts firm has acquired the rights to develop the retail and apartment component of Marketplace at Fells Point, a $40 million project that is now slated to break ground April 1.

Drew Dolben, senior vice president for the Dolben Co. Inc., says he has acquired the rights for the massive urban redevelopment plan from South Broadway Properties LLC's Dave Holmes. The Dolben Co. has a regional office in Odenton. 

Holmes says he is still involved with the project and is leading a $5 million renovation of the Broadway Market. The recession made financing more complicated and the company realized it needed a partner to see the project get built, he says. With a partner leading the retail and apartment building, South Broadway Properties can focus on the restoration of the market.

The developers of the Marketplace at Fells Point plan to transform the 600 block of South Broadway Street into a "vibrant gateway to historic Fells Point." The transformation will include shops, restaurants and a pedestrian plaza. Streetscape improvements will be a public-private partnership with the city spearheading the design and planning of a pedestrian space called the Square at Fells Point. Planning for that space is currently underway with construction expected to start later this year, Holmes says. 

The extensive project, in the works for several years, also received some federal stimulus funding. But construction on the project, initially slated for January 2011, has been delayed. The group revised it's original plans that included office space and a parking garage after the recession to simply retail and residential space. These changes lowered the total cost of the project.

The company is waiting on the city to issue building permits for the project at 600 S. Broadway and expects the development to take between 18 to 20 months to complete.
 
The project is expected to include 159 apartment units and over 27,000 square-feet of retail space. The company is working with CBRE Group, Inc. to attract food outlets and boutique retailers to lease space.
 
The apartments will be a mixture of one and two bedroom units, and the rents will be consistent with other prices in the area, Dolben says.
 
"We think the Fells Point neighborhood is one of the best residential addresses in Baltimore and a very vibrant area," Dolben says.
 
By acquiring the Marketplace at Fell's Point project, the company wanted to expand its portfolio in the Washington-Baltimore corridor.
 
The company currently has two projects in construction in Maryland, the Village at Odenton Station and the View at Mill Run in Owings Mills. Between developments in Virginia, Maryland and the New England area, the company maintains 11,000 apartment units, Dolben says.
 
Writer: Allie Wilding
Sources: Drew Dolben, Dolben Co. Inc.; Dave Holmes, South Broadway Properties LLC 

Ernestine Brown is on a mission to help women look their best without having to break the bank.
 
Brown opened Sister Ernie B's Sassy Seconds, a consignment shop in the Belair-Edison neighborhood this month to provide an alternative destination for women who want to look good while on a budget.
 
"It's hard to go out to our favorite stores, Macy's, Nordstrom, so we're being wiser with our spending. But it doesn't change the fact that we like to look good," says Brown.
 
In addition to a consignment shop, Sister Ernie B's Sassy Seconds is a women's handbag and accessory boutique.
 
Brown hopes to woo savvy, working women with her shop at 3428 Belair Rd., in the Belair-Edison Main Street district.
 
"I'm excited because Belair Road is a busy main street in the city and we have a little something for everyone with a price base that everyone can afford," Brown says.
 
The shop is currently seeking consigned items for a period of 90 days. If the clothing sells, the price is split evenly between the consigner and the store. Items that do not sell can be returned or donated to the women's recovery house that Brown runs, Sister to Sister, Heart to Hrt. 
 
Additionally, Brown plans to use the consignment shop as a training opportunity for some of the women involved in the recovery house to reestablish job skills.
 
A Baltimore native, Brown has long shopped at consignment stores around the city, and aspires to educate more people about the value of consignment shops.
 
She sees her business as an extension of her desire to help others change their lives for the better. In time, she also hopes to provide jobs for youth in the neighborhood at the shop in which she invested all of her savings.
 

Writer: Alexandra Wilding
Source: Ernestine Brown, owner of Sister Ernie B's Sassy Seconds

A framed art work provider and wholesale manufacturer that serves Bed Bath & Beyond and La-Z-Boy has relocated from Linthicum to a 34,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Curtis Bay.
 
Big Fish, acquired by Beyond the Label in 2010, moved into a facility that combines warehouse and office space in the Brandon Woods Business Park this month. The space is the same size as the company’s previous location, but configured differently to allow for more usable manufacturing space. In addition, the company added five manufacturing jobs to its 30-person staff on-site.
 
With the move, owner and CEO, Melissa Van Hise hopes to continue to grow her business, which Van Hise says is the largest framer in Maryland.
 
Van Hise wants to bring more of a local focus to a business that has long served clients across the nation.
 
Van Hise was drawn to the space because it was already used as a manufacturing facility and didn't need additional renovations. The building also has a space that Van Hise uses as a gallery area to meet with clients.
 
“It’s a perfect amount of space, there’s a great labor pool nearby and it’s a great facility for growth,” Van Hise says.
 
Big Fish Inc. specializes in innovative framing techniques and artwork including hand-colored prints, limited editions and posters.
 
In recent years, the company has expanded into publishing, graphic arts and private label manufacturing in addition to framing and manufacturing, Van Hise says.
 
“Graphically, we can make anything, people never believe me when I say that, but we can,” says Van Hise.
 
Big Fish creates and manufactures products for retail stores of all sizes, the hospitality industry, interior design firms as well as companies such as Havertys, La-Z-Boy, Arhaus Furniture, and Bed Bath & Beyond, according to Van Hise.
 
The company has no retail store, but does take orders through its website.
 
Other businesses in the area include Reliable Churchill, a wine distributor and Commerce Corporation, a distributor serving garden centers.
 
Big Fish is located at 7600 Energy Parkway in the Brandon Woods Business Park.
 
Source: Melissa Van Hise, owner and CEO of Big Fish Inc.

Beer lovers and fashionistas may start spending more time in Federal Hill.

Brightside Boutique and Art Studio and the Brewer’s Cask bar and restaurant both opened this month.

They are the latest businesses to debut in Federal Hill as neighborhood promoters work to fill vacancies. Cheese Galore and More and Republic Noodle opened in the fall.

After several years in New York working for Diane von Furstenberg and Nanette Lepore, Towson University graduate Christie Griffiths wanted to return to Baltimore. Located at 1136 S. Charles St., Brightside sells floral tops, vintage clothing, jewelry, handbags and shoes.

Mindful of the economy, Griffiths says she is selling pieces that cost less than $100.

“I love the neighborhood,” Griffiths says. “There’s tons of bars but not a lot of shopping.”

And speaking of bars, the Brewer’s Cask pours 20 draft beers on tap and houses 50 bottles.

Jason Stevens and partner Ajay Singh are keeping their day jobs in IT, and taking turns working nights at the 100-seat brewpub, Stevens says.

The 2,500-square-foot pub was formerly Muggsy’s and opened Jan. 5, just hours after the business received its liquor license, Stevens says.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Sources: Christie Griffiths, Brightside; Jason Stevens, Brewer's Cask

Baltimore City’s proposal to increase the tax on soda, water, beer and juice to pay for school construction has some business owners concerned that it will eat into their profits.

“Everyone cares about schools, but this is not the way to go about it, which is on the backs of businesses,” says Rob Santoni Jr., chief financial officer of Santoni’s Supermarket.

The city introduced a 2-cent beverage tax last year and is now proposing to increase it to 5 cents. The tax, combined with revenue from slots and the city’s contribution to teachers’ healthcare benefits, would increase the Baltimore City school’s capital budget by $23 million.

“If we want to grow the city with more families and create tomorrow's workforce and new jobs, we can't afford crumbling school buildings,” says Ryan O’Doherty, spokesman for Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake.

But Santoni, chairman of the Maryland Food Dealers Council, fears more of his customers will shop in the county instead of the city. He estimates that he has lost $500,000 in income due to fewer customer visits since the beverage tax was first introduced.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Sources: Rob Santoni Jr., Santoni's Supermarket; Ryan O'Doherty, Baltimore City

Women’s apparel shop Anthropologie will open a boutique at the newly opened Four Seasons Hotel in Baltimore’s Harbor East neighborhood.

Baltimore City’s Urban Design and Architecture Review Panel is slated to review plans for the store’s design Dec. 8. The store would join clothing shops White House Black Market, South Moon Under and Urban Chic.

A unit of Urban Outfitters Inc., Anthropologie’s other area stores are located in Towson and Annapolis. There’s also an Urban Outfitters in Harborplace.

Baltimore City architect Robert Quilter says the store’s architect David A.Levy & Associates Inc. of Akron, Ohio wants to do something “different” with the storefront, which is why it needs the city’s design panel to review its plans. He deferred additional design questions to David A. Levy architects, who could not be reached for comment.

Urban Outfitters officials could not be reached for comment.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Urban Design and Review Panel

The stage is set for the $65 million transformation of Owings Mills Mall from an old-style enclosed shopping mall to an open-air town center.

The project will be a joint venture between Kimco Realty Corp. and General Growth Properties. Each company will have a 50 percent ownership stake in the newly redeveloped property.

The companies plan to tear down the current building in 2013 and complete it the following year. The developers will retain the AMC Movie Theater, JC Penney and Macy's and sign up a new mix of retail tenants and restaurants to the complex, including boutiques and junior anchor stores that face the street. The dated building has long been a fixture of the website Deadmalls.com.

The Owings Mills Mall redevelopment project is one of several taking place in the Baltimore County town. The once-dormant Owings Mills Metro Centre project got a jumpstart in the summer with construction on a public library and community college branch. Greenberg Gibbons Commercial Corp. also said this month that it will bring Wegmans Food Markets as the lead tenant at the Foundry Row at Owings Mills, a redevelopment of the shuttered Solo Cup site.

Soures: General Growth Properties, Greenberg Gibbons Commercial Corp.
Writer: Amy McNeal

The economic downturn had left several vacancies along Federal Hill's normally busy shopping corridor. The vacant storefronts and vacant stalls in Cross Street Market were definitely detracting from the neighborhood's appeal. The shopping outlook in Federal Hill is a little brighter now thanks to several new businesses that have opened recently in the neighborhood.
 
Cheese Galore and More has opened in a stall in the historic Cross Street Market to fulfill Federal Hill's appetite for all things dairy and and the things that enhance your cheese plate. The new market stand features many varieties of gourmet cheese, including some that is locally produced. Cheese Galore and More also offers crackers, breads, olives, butter, spreads and meats to complete your cheesy feast.
 
Federal Hill is the home of a new restaurant as well. Republic Noodle at 1121 Light Street offers modern décor and an emphasis on hormone free, all natural meats and eco friendly locally sourced accompaniments. It's BYOB. In addition to noodles and pho, Republic Noodle also features pan Asian cuisine and classic desserts with a modern flair.
 
A new gift shop, Bobabooi's Treasure Chest has opened at 1129 Light Street. This family run combination consignment store and gift shop offers new purses, jewelry, accessories as well as a selection of consignment items. The shop offers 10% discounts on Fridays.
 
Writer: Amy McNeal
Source: Federal Hill Main Street

Grocery stores and casual restaurants in Greater Baltimore gobbled up empty storefronts during the third quarter, helping landlords fill space that might have otherwise gone empty in a tough environment.

That’s according to a retail report from MacKenzie Commercial Real Estate.

ShopRite and SuperValu Corp.’s Shoppers Food & Pharmacy have taken up spots in former Superfresh locations in the walk of the grocer’s store closures and bankruptcy. ShopRite took over Superfresh stores in Timonium, North Baltimore and Parkville while Shoppers opened in Ellicott City.

A handful of quick-service restaurants, including Gino's Burgers & Chicken, Miss Shirley's, and the Green Turtle, have expanded with new locations.

Retail vacancy remained largely flat at 6.19 percent.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: MacKenzie Commercial Real Estate

Baltimore’s Harbor East neighborhood just got a little sweeter.

Candy shop the Best of Luck, opened this month at 612 S. Exeter St. in the former Amaryllis jewelry store space. The shop sells nostalgic candies – think pop rocks and Charleston Chews — gift baskets, chocolate-covered pretzels, gummy bears and saltwater taffy. It also features sugar-free concoctions.

After a career in the sports and entertainment industries, store owner Alexis Thompson wanted to start her own business.

“I always had a sweet tooth and a love for different kinds of candies,” Thompson says.

It’s a bit of a career change for the Baltimore-born Thompson, who represented Serena Williams, Boston Celtics’ Kevin Garnett, and pro golfer Michelle Wie as a junior agent at the William Morris Agency.

“I want to be my own boss,” she says.

She spent about $20,000 to open the store next to Whole Foods and hopes that the location next to Fells Point, Canton and downtown will help it get good foot traffic.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Alexis Thompson, Best of Luck