Wash. DC/Baltimore Retail and Restaurant Development

[BaltimoreBaby1989]

I really like JS Edwards. They definitely know their menswear. Matter of fact, I rented my prom tux from them. I would really like it if they were to open a city location. Maybe a partnership between them and Jos A Banks? Just wishful thinking, since both I love.

[Tricia_Lvs_Baltimore]

Sonic skips D.C., chooses Baltimore
Aug 10, 2010
By: Liz Farmer
image hosted on flickr

We’re all quite atwitter here in The Daily Record newsroom. Sonic, the drive-in home of shakes, foot-long hot dogs and waitresses on roller skates, is coming to the Baltimore area.

The Oklahoma-based fast food chain has plans to open up its second Maryland location on Liberty Road just outside the Baltimore Beltway. (It also has a drive-in in Easton.)

According to a Baltimore County news release, Sonic plans to hire 120 employees for its new location, which will open Aug. 13. The County Department of Economic Development also assisted the local franchise owners with a $60,000 Building Investment Loan.

It’s noteworthy that Sonic’s first Baltimore-Washington location is outside of Charm City.

For one, it seems like a better fit for this region. I live in the D.C. suburbs and it seems like what a lot of the population there (meaning Montgomery County) gets excited about is the newest fru-fru grocery store or the latest boutique shop.

(Not yours truly, of course. I’d rather waste my money on sports jerseys. Or on discovering hole-in-the-wall establishments that have authentic food on the cheap.)

Plus, as I wrote about recently, they’re trying to get people in D.C. to stop using their cars so much. A drive-in sort of doesn’t quite fit with that theme.

Anyway, my point is, half the fun of Sonic is its charm. And what better place to go than Charm City?

And I bet the county financial assistance didn’t hurt — Baltimore County has been successful in wooing businesses and development here with business loans and this is just another example.

[Balmurfan]

you're a child of the 90s, the word Tatu might conjure up images of the Russian female duo with hits like "All the Things She Said." But soon, the word have Baltimore residents thinking of sushi and sesame chicken.

Cb5 Restaurant Group LLC., a Greenwich, Conn., restaurant consulting company is spending $750,000 to open Asian restaurant Tatu at Power Plant Live in early September. The site at 614 Water St. formerly housed Blue Sea Grill.

It will be the second location for the company along with the original Tatu in the Seminole Paradise Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla.
That property, like Power Plant Live, is developed by Baltimore's Cordish Cos. It's the 128th restaurant developed by Cb5, but the first one in Baltimore.

The 5,000-square-foot restaurant will serve Japanese, traditional Chinese and French-Chinese cuisine, says Cb5 Owner Jody Pennette. The average check will run between $23 and $55, giving diners on a budget some flexibility with their wallets. The 120-seat restaurant will employ 50.

The company liked the Power Plant Live entertainment district because it already has a loyal following. "It's nice to have a built-in audience when you start," says Pennette, who hopes Tatu will draw new people to the area.

Power Plant Live's businesses include concert venue Rams Head Live, Ruth's Chris Steak House, nightclub Mosaic and Italian/Cajun eatery Two Boots, a recent addition.

Cb5 executives were also eager to work with the Cordish Co. again on another project. "They have this great knack for entertainment zones," Pennette says.

And yes, that Russian duo is the inspiration for the name. Sort of.

The owners were originally going to name the restaurant Tattoo, since the menu features an Asian woman with a large dragon tattoo on her back.

But the name didn't seem quite Asian enough, Pennette says. Then one day he saw a video on TV by, yep, you guessed it, Tatu, and thought that spelling was a bit more exotic.


Source: Jody Pennette, Tatu
Writer: Julekha Dash

[Balmurfan]

Downtown Baltimore's newest restaurant, Kona Grill, is spending $3 million to open for business at 1 E. Pratt St.

The Baltimore location, to open Oct. 4, is only the second downtown venue for Kona Grill, which operates 24 restaurants in 15 states.

The other downtown restaurant is located in Stamford, Conn. Typically, the chain selects suburban malls rather than city spots, Kona CEO Marc Buehler says.

But the company likes the Inner Harbor's mix of office workers, tourists and conventioneers who will all hopefully take a bite out of the restaurant, Buehler says.

"We really think it's going to be a great site for us," Buehler says.

The nearly 7,000-square-foot restaurant will seat 189 inside an another 74 on its Pratt Street patio. The store will employ 120.

Last year, the Scottsdale, Ariz., company opened four restaurants in Richmond, Va.; Woodbridge, N.J.; Eden Prairie, Minn.; and Tampa, Fla. And it plans to open two or three restaurants next year, Buehler says. It continues to eye the East Coast — from Washington, D.C., to Philadelphia. Buehler couldn't be more specific, as a publicly traded company.

The restaurant serves sushi, grilled meats and seafood, pizzas and salads. Buehler describes the concept as "polished casual," ranking with the Cheesecake Factory or P.F. Chang's.

It gets business from 21-to 35-year-olds for its happy hour and late night bar business, while its lunch and dinner crowds range from 24 to 54 years of age.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Marc Buehler, Kona Grill

[Balmurfan]

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

[Balmurfan]

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 décor. 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

[pepperjack]

That sonic in Reisterstown was stupid busy when we drove by. It was a week after they opened and there was a line of cars that snaked around the parking lot. I counted at least 40 cars waiting. There was even a crowd waiting at the walk-up order spots out front.

[Balmurfan]

Another fast food chain is headed to Baltimore — but don't expect fries with your sandwich.

Freshii, a franchise that sells made-to-order salads, wraps, soups and yogurt, will open a store at the Inner Harbor the first quarter of next year. Another Maryland store will open Dec. 1 at National Harbor in Prince George's County.

In total, franchise company Goel Management wants to open 20 Freshii stores in Maryland in the next three to four years, CEO Sumeet Goel says. So far, Goel has signed a letter of intent to open stores in Annapolis, Columbia and College Park. He plans to open two stores in Columbia and one in Ellicott City.

Started five years ago in Toronto, Freshii has been likened to Starbucks for its ambitious growth plans and Whole Foods for its eco-friendly practices. The company expects to have 52 locations open by the end of the year and 300 by 2015. Freshii relies on biodegradable materials. Customers can even bring in their own bowls.

The restaurant touts its healthful menu and offers three types of meals: high protein, low fat, and "balanced," with essential fats and slow-burning carbs. Meals cost, on average, $8 to $9.

Stores range from 200-square-foot kiosks to 2,000 square feet. The downtown Baltimore store will be about 1,500 square feet.
Each store costs between $50,000 and $200,000 to open.

Goel chose the Inner Harbor because the store will attract nearby office workers and tourists.

A Maryland native who lives in Pasadena, Goel also owns all of the Baja Fresh franchises in Baltimore. He says he believes the Baltimore market has attracted a more health conscious crowd.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Sumeet Goel, Freshii

[Balmurfan]

http://baltimore.bizjournals.com/bal...7/daily44.html

[NYC007]

[Balmurfan]

restaurant serving coal-fired pizza and burgers will open in the former Daily Grind site in Baltimore.

Run by restaurant industry veteran Mark Hofmann, Earth Wood & Fire will open in March.

Hofmann says he and his three partners will invest $500,000 to open the new restaurant.

The 3,000-square-foot restaurant will look "funky and edgy" and feature fresh, local ingredients, says Hofmann. The partners haven't determined the prices or the exact menu items yet.

Hofmann says he hopes to draw everyone from the college kids at Towson University and Loyola College to residents in neighboring areas. He also hopes to attract the 1,000 workers in the Bare Hills Corporate Center, where the restaurant will be located. The restaurant will be located in a new retail building currently under construction.

Close to Interstate 83, the restaurant is easy to get to for residents in the affluent areas of Homeland, Towson, Lutherville, and Pikesville, Hofmann says. "It's a densely populated area," Hofmann says.

Trained as a chef at the Culinary Institute of America in New York, Hofmann is the former general manager of Tark's Grill in Lutherville. He also helped open the Grille at Peerce's, at the former Peerce's Plantation spot. Hofmann was also a chef at Linwoods in Owings Mills and the former Polo Grill.

Hofmann says Earth Wood & Fire is a concept he has had in his head for four years now. If it succeeds in the corporate park, he hopes to open another one in Canton, Federal Hill, or downtown Baltimore.

"Gotta make this one work first," Hofmann says.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Mark Hofmann, Earth Wood & Fire

[PeterSmith]

Sweet Bakery and Cafe is moving from Ellicott City to the old spot of Zachi on Read Street in Mount Vernon.

[Balmurfan]

The owners of Pazo, Cinghiale, Petit Louis Bistro, and Charleston restaurants could spend upwards of $1 million on their latest venture in Roland Park.

Tony Foreman and Cindy Wolf are negotiating to lease a space at 4800 Roland Ave. in the same shopping center as Petit Louis. Foreman says he expects they will finalize the deal in the next couple of months. The 100-seat restaurant would open in fall or winter.

Foreman wouldn't reveal the restaurant's name or dishes it would serve until they are closer to opening. The menu will be lower priced than that of Petit Louis, where entrees cost between $12 and $44. The idea, Foreman says, is to attract repeat customers in the neighborhood, as opposed to Petit Louis, which is more of a destination restaurant.

The investment in the new venue would be "nowhere near on the scale of Pazo and Cinghiale," which were much more expensive to build, Foreman says.

The restaurant will be located in two adjacent spots previously occupied by Roland Park Bakery and Deli and Long and Foster. A press release from Foreman Wolf says that a "casual, lively interior will take over the former deli space, with exposed beams and vaulted ceilings."

The sour real estate market has prompted some shop and restaurant owners to take the opportunity to snatch good deals. But Foreman says that's not the main reason he's opening the new spot.

"The reality is that I get itchy every couple of years. You have an idea and you want to express it."

The restaurant will employ 15.

Foreman Wolf also owns wine stores Bin 604 in Baltimore and Bin 201 in Annapolis.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Tony Foreman

[Balmurfan]

Many of Baltimore's restaurants still focus on what the city traditionally does best: crabs. And while celebrated chefs like Cindy Wolf, Spike Gjerde, and John Shields have carved their own interesting niches, Baltimore is still largely known for its old standbys. Recently, however, a new crop of innovative chefs has begun infiltrating the city, encouraged by local foodies and ready to shake up the local culinary scene.

As Baltimore nightlife and entertainment writer "Downtown Diane" Macklin puts it, "Today's Baltimore chefs are more innovative than ever. Taking an idea and making it his or her own is what separates the great chefs in town."

Demi

Chef Tae Strain of Demi wants to do just that. He came to Baltimore from New York's Public House, and he sees a growing Baltimore food community that's embracing and encouraging innovation and risk taking along the way.

Demi shares a space with Crush, the contemporary establishment in North Baltimore's Belvedere Square. Strain notes that where Crush focuses on American flavors that have garnered loyal clientele, Demi is invested in global influences. Demi's space in the lower level of Crush offers an open kitchen with front-row seats to Strain's culinary team.

Demi considers its small plates to be light entrees, and diners can expect a lot of pork belly, a chef favorite. Strain's commitment to reinterpretation allows Demi to carve out an identity unique not only from Crush, but from other restaurants in town, as well.

Centro

Tapas restaurants often have an early expiration date in Baltimore - a city that doesn't tolerate paying a lot to eat a little - but Chef George Dailey is betting against that trend with Centro.

"The truth is, you can count with your fingers how many tapas restaurants are in the city," Dailey says. "Yes, there are a lot of restaurants that serve small plates but cannot call themselves a true tapas restaurant. [Centro] is different because we offer the true tapas experience," Dailey says.

Dailey's Spanish and Latin American heritage helps him create authentic tapas like his mother cooked when he was growing up in Venezuela. To properly order at Centro, adopt a thick Spanish accent - Cachapa, a sweet corn pancake; sobrasada mallorquina, spreadable chorizo sausage; and arepas, a Venezuelan corn masa, aren't exactly words that roll easily off the tongue.

Dailey, who saw previous success with On The Hill in Bolton Hill, understands that these dishes can intimidate. With that in mind, Centro's $3 tapas nights and happy hours are designed to allow patrons to get acquainted with the menu while enjoying fresh seafood from sustainable sources along with organic produce and meat.

Feast @ 4 East

That dedication to sustainability is more and more becoming a common practice. Feast @ 4 East's kitchen, tucked away in a brownstone at 4 East Madison in Mt. Vernon, is run by local loyalist Sandy Lawler. When asked how she combats the idea that sustainable food is a trend, she dismisses the notion.

"The only challenge is the competition of year-round availability. An occasional treat of a strawberry out of season is one thing, but its flavor will never compare with a locally grown one in season," she says.

Lawler's best-selling dish, local rockfish, is served with lemon-caper butter or a tarragon-chive drizzle. The trickier sell is Chesapeake stingray, which overruns the Bay, eating oysters and crabs without predators. It's abundantly available but often tough to convince diners to try.

The Point

Lawler isn't the only one with a hard message. Convincing a patron to try edgier fare at a more upscale establishment like Feast can be easier than selling duck confit on shaved fennel salad at a corner pub, which is just what The Point's head chef, Jacob Raitt, is attempting.

The Point, situated on the well-worn corner of Thames and Ann streets in Fells Point (in the former Miss Irene's), embraces culinary surprise with unique flavors and presentation. Raitt doesn't aim to reinvent the wheel, only to have The Point's upscale pub fare mentioned alongside the likes of Baltimore's most respected restaurants. Raitt has an edge, having worked under the likes of Chef Marc Dixon at Bistro Blanc and Chef Jason Ambrose at Salt.

"I have taken from [the chefs I've worked with] a devotion to fresh food and creative innovation." Raitt says, "II take an approach to food without vanity, and with a humility that makes our customers feel comfortable even with ingredients and techniques they may not be familiar with."

To entice patrons, Raitt keeps dish descriptions simple. While the pot roast only lists three ingredients, Raitt employs a painstaking process that involves braising the beef and glazing and roasting vegetables to create depth of flavor that cannot be replicated with bases or pre-processed sauces. He admits to an arduous approach, but once a unique dish - like beef tongue and bone marrow - is tasted, it's almost always well-received.

Slainte

Down Thames Street, Slainte is fighting a similar battle. The restaurant was always known for having good pub food, but wanted to fully embrace the gastro pub concept. Chef Bill Crouse -- a former executive chef at Sotto Sopra who holds degrees in cooking, baking, and nutrition -- has the credentials needed to make Slainte a name in upscale pub fare.

In Crouse's kitchen - like Dailey's and Lawler's - local fare is essential. Patrons can enjoy a traditional Shepard's pie or corned beef sandwich, but they're also encouraged to try mushroom gnudi, a fried gnocchi served with brown butter and sage sauce.

"I'm just feeding people a good meal. The word of mouth will become more powerful than anything I could dream up," Crouse says.

While each of these trendsetters is happy to serve up traditional fare, they're also looking to challenge Baltimore's taste buds by introducing surprising new approaches.

Downtown Diane hopes more folks will notice and take a chance on creative dishes in Baltimore. "If you taste food that a chef's made his or her own, you know that every time you go to that restaurant, you can count on taste and creativity. It's what makes dining in Charm City so exciting."

Renee Libby Beck made Baltimore her home after a short-lived post-collegiate venture in Florida. By day, she is the Public Relations Coordinator for Medifast, Inc. In her minimal spare time, Renee serves as the Baltimore Food Examiner and writes for other local blogs and publications. After an amazing meal, she can't stop salivating over it and often tries to recreate it - with minimal success.

[Balmurfan]

Suds and grub will return to the Fells Point spot that formerly held DuClaw Brewing Co. before it closed in late 2009.

Three restaurant operators will open a 200-seat establishment that serves craft beers and upscale pub food.

Michael Mastellone, John Durkin, and Derek Blazer don't have a name yet for the new restaurant, to open in September. Bond Street Social is the name on the liquor license application, but that name is not set in stone, Mastellone says.

Durkin and Mastellone own Ladder 15, a Philadelphia bar and restaurant located in a former firehouse. Durkin is also owner of Federal Hill's Mad River Bar & Grill.

The partners will spend more than $1 million to revamp the interior of the former DuClaw space, Mastellone says. He's hiring T+Associates Architects, the same designer as Ladder 15, to outfit the new space, and imagines the new space will sport an industrial look, with steel and wood.

The owners hope to draw people in the summer months with the nearly 2,000-square-foot outdoor waterfront dining area. The restaurant's half a dozen fireplaces will hopefully draw diners in the winter months as well, Mastellone says.

The menu will be similar to that of Ladder 15, except with a heavier emphasis on seafood, Mastellone says. Korean tacos, made with pork belly and short rib, oxtail cheesesteak, and truffle fries are some of the menu items at the Philly eatery.

Prices will run about the same as well, with appetizers under $10, sandwiches and burgers $9-$11 and entrees running between $12 and $25.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Michael Mastellone, Ladder 15

[rockin'.baltimorean]

there's a store that's been open for about a year on the ground floor of the professional arts building (pab building). it's called "milk and honey". i wasn't going to go in, but the misses lured me in there and it was a pretty nice experience!

http://milkandhoneybaltimore.com/

[Balmurfan]

A Harbor East jewelry store is taking its gold earrings and ruby necklaces to a larger space.

Amaryllis, which moved from Harborpalce and the Gallery two years ago to East Baltimore, is moving into the Kashmir Imports' spot next month. At 1,028 square feet, the space at 830 Aliceanna St. is twice as big as its space on Exeter St., says co-owner Allie Wolf.

The owners of the 26-year-old jewelry store like the Harbor East neighborhood, but thought Aliceanna was a better spot because it's the shopping street, Wolf says. The street is home to Arhaus Furniture, South Moon Under, and Urban Chic.

"Aliceanna has established itself as the shopping street," Wolf says. "I feel like as a boutique we should be on Aliceanna Street. The shopping is better."

The larger store will allow it to expand its jewelry selection and sell purses, scarves and other gifts.

"There are so many other artists we want to carry that we don't have the space for," Wolf said. "We want to be the destination jewelry spot" downtown.

The move will come with a makeover, courtesy of Nouveau Contemporary Goods' Co-owner Steve Appel.


Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Allie Wolf, Amaryllis

[PeterSmith]

The new restaurant space being renovated next to Bagby Pizza will also be operated by the owners of Bagby. It'll be called Bagby 10/10 Kitchen and Martini Bar, per Bagby's website.

[Tricia_Lvs_Baltimore]

National Harbor lands Tanger Outlet Center
Baltimore Business Journal - by Tucker Echols
Date: Monday, May 23, 2011, 10:53am EDT - Last Modified: Monday, May 23, 2011, 3:01pm EDT
Read more: National Harbor lands Tanger Outlet Center | Baltimore Business Journal

Tanger Factory Outlet Centers Inc. said it plans to open a $100 million retail attraction at National Harbor, the waterfront Prince George's County convention and resort complex.

The deal was announced Monday by Fairfax, Va., the Peterson Cos., developer of National Harbor.

Tanger Outlets at National Harbor is expected to be home to about 80 outlet designer and name brand stores in a 350,000-square-foot center on about 40 acres at National Harbor.

The retail project was hailed as a big step forward for Prince George’s County by County Executive Rushern Baker.

"This is a great announcement for the residents of Prince George's County and the region,” he said in a statement. “Our residents have yearned for diverse shopping opportunities for years and this will boost their options."

The center is expected to create more than 400 construction jobs and about 900 full-time and part-time ongoing jobs within Prince George's. National Harbor is on the shores of the Potomac River near Fort Washington and the Woodrow Wilson Bridge.

The project will be co-owned by Peterson and Tanger Factory Outlet Centers. The parties expect to break ground later this year, assuming that at least 50 percent of Phase I of the project has been pre-leased. The grand opening is expected about 12 to 15 months after the start of construction.

Tanger Factory Outlet Centers (NYSE: SKT) has ownership interests in a portfolio of 34 upscale outlet shopping centers in 22 states totaling about 10.3 million square feet. The centers are leased to more than 2,100 stores that are operated by more than 370 different brand name companies including Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5TH, Nike, Gap, Brooks Brothers, Tommy Hilfiger, Under Armour and J. Crew.



Read more: National Harbor lands Tanger Outlet Center | Baltimore Business Journal

[Exrexnotex]

The Chazz in Harbor East is set to open soon on the ground floor of The Eden [facing Aliceanna St.]