Robin Godwin

Nails & Spa Lounge has opened at 1102 S. Charles St. in a 1,150 sq. ft. retail suite in the Wheelhouse building in Federal Hill. Nails & Spa Lounge is the first tenant in this space since the building opened in 2020.

Wheelhouse’s 5,500 sq. ft. of retail is now completely leased as Nails & Spa Lounge joins BRD and Starbucks.

Ruben’s Opens Another Location in Fells Point

Mexican food restaurant Ruben’s recently opened a location at 809 S. Broadway in Fells Point. The space was formerly occupied by Stuggy’s, which relocated.

Started by Digital Harbor High School grads Ruben Ramirez and Jonathan Ramirez, Ruben’s got its start in Federal Hill where it has a carryout restaurant at 1043 S. Charles St. It later opened a commercial kitchen at 1035 Light St. and also has a location in Brooklyn Park.

The Halal Guys Coming to Pratt Street

The Halal Guys is replacing a space vacated by Nalley Fresh at 400 E. Pratt St. in Downtown/Inner Harbor. According to Baltimore Business Journal, there is not a projected opening date yet. From the article:

Founded in 1990, The Halal Guys started out as a collection of street carts selling authentic halal food including falafel sandwiches and chicken-and-gyro platters in New York City, according to the chain’s website.

The chain later started opening brick-and-mortar restaurants, and today has some 100 stores across the U.S., with more than 400 in development. The Downtown Baltimore spot will be a franchise location, Eck said (Andrew Eck, vice president of marketing for The Halal Guys).

Plantacea Leaving Federal Hill

Plant shop Plantacea will be leaving its storefront at 828 S. Charles St. in Federal Hill as it looks for a new space “north” of Federal Hill. From its Instagram page:

I just wanted to share some big changes headed our way as Plantacea turns 3 years old (!)… Yesterday I placed For Lease notices in our windows! Yup, the goal is to move the shop north. This not only puts me closer to home, but affords the space to continue on our path of providing high quality, awesome plants at fair prices as well as creating a studio for creating moss and living plant art.

Ideally, the next tenant will be inspired to continue our work and success as a neighborhood plant shop here in Federal Hill.

If you, or someone you know, are interested in an awesome space give me a shout and we’ll arrange a tour (including our secret rooms downstairs).

Lisa

Dr. Steven L. Pinson Optometrist Office Closes in Federal Hill

The optometrist office of Dr. Steven L. Pinson, which has been open since 1981, has closed at 1137 Light St. in Federal Hill. The 5,247 sq. ft. building, which sits at the corner of Light St. and E. West St., is currently listed for sale with Brexton Commercial.

The post South Baltimore Business Roundup first appeared on SouthBMore.com.

via https://www.southbmore.com/2022/06/29/south-baltimore-business-roundup-188/

‘South Baltimore Strength Club’ Opens in Federal Hill

Federal Hill resident Joshua Strassner opened strength gym South Baltimore Strength Club in April. The gym is in a two-story garage, which was previously used for storing roofing materials, in between the 1200 block of Wall St. and West St. in Federal Hill.

Strassner is a former strongman and current Highland Games competitor who moved to Federal Hill in 2013 from San Diego for a job in the defense sector.

“I noticed the neighborhood didn’t have an affordable strength gym to train at,” he said.

Strassner, who had been buying equipment and renting out garages in recent years alongside a friend, was excited when a garage near his house became available that was a fit for South Baltimore Strength Club.

The equipment at South Baltimore Strength Club includes EliteFTS and Rogue power racks; iron and bumper plates; barbells including TX and OH power bars, a TX deadlift bar, an SSB, axles, and a camber bar; and strongman implements including a yoke, farmers handles, kegs up to 300 pounds, sandbags up to 300 pounds, and atlas stones up to 400 pounds.

South Baltimore Strength Club costs a flat rate of $40 a month. It also offers a free first week for prospective members for them to determine if it is a good fit.

While some members are training for competitions, Strassner said he is also passing on lessons he’s learned to members who want to get “functionally strong.”

“Everyone is here to help each other out,” said Strassner. “We’ve got several dedicated folks who range from beginners to some pretty strong people, and we’re building a healthy community here.”

Strassner played football and baseball growing up in New Orleans, boxed while in the Army, and lifted weights while on deployments. While in his 30s in San Diego, he got into powerlifting and joined a powerlifting crew for one session before being told not to come back. Soon after he found a crew that accepted him and taught him the right way to powerlift. Strassner wants to make sure South Baltimore Strength Club is accepting of everyone who wants to powerlift and learn.

South Baltimore Strength Club currently has afternoon and evening weight lifting sessions. Strassner texts his member a list of lifts before each session starts.

Individuals can join the club by emailing Strassner at bmorestronger@gmail.com.

Photos courtesy of South Baltimore Strength Club

The post ‘South Baltimore Strength Club’ Opens in Federal Hill first appeared on SouthBMore.com.

via https://www.southbmore.com/2022/06/29/south-baltimore-strength-club-opens-in-federal-hill/

Tuesday, June 28, 2022

South Baltimore Crime Updates

From Baltimore Police Department:

Southern District homicide investigation

On June 25, 2022, at approximately 3:06 a.m., Southern District officers in the area of the 700 block of S. Charles Street heard multiple gunshots. Officers were dispatched to the 800 block of S. Hanover Street.

Upon their arrival, officers located a victim with multiple gunshot wounds. Medics transported the victim to University of Maryland Shock Trauma. The victim was pronounced deceased by medical personnel a short time later.

Homicide detectives responded and assumed control over the investigation.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Homicide detectives at 410-396-2100.

Those who wish to remain anonymous may utilize the Metro Crime Stoppers top line at 1-866-7LOCKUP.

According to the Baltimore Police Department (BPD) Crime Map, the following crimes were from 6/15/22 to 6/21/22.

Ridgely’s Delight

ROBBERY – RESIDENCE, 600 WASHINGTON BLVD, SUNDAY, 6/19/22, 15:00

Stadium Area

NONE

Barre Circle

NONE

Otterbein

LARCENY, 600 LIGHT ST, TUESDAY, 6/21/22, 12:00

Sharp-Leadenhall

AUTO THEFT, 900 S HANOVER ST, THURSDAY, 6/16/22, 23:00

Federal Hill

AGGRAVATED ASSAULT, 1200 LIGHT ST, THRUSDAY, 6/16/22, 20:00

LARCENY, 1200 LIGHT ST, TUESDAY, 6/21/22, 19:00

Federal Hill South/Riverside

LARCENY, 700 E FORT AVE, WEDNESDAY, 6/15/22, 14:00

LARCENY, 400 FOLSOM ST, SATURDAY, 6/18/22, 12:00

ROBBERY, 300 EAST WEST ST, SUNDAY, 6/19/22, 0:00

South Baltimore Neighborhood

AGGRAVATED ASSAULT, S CHARLES ST & E RANDALL ST, FRIDAY, 6/17/22, 23:00

Key Highway/HarborView

NONE

Inner Harbor

NONE

Port Covington

NONE

Locust Point

NONE

Pigtown

AUTO THEFT, 1200 WASHINGTON BLVD, WEDNESDAY, 6/15/22, 0:00

LARCENY, 1200 W PRATT ST, WEDNESDAY, 6/15/22, 18:00

AGGRAVATED ASSAULT, 1200 WASHINGTON BLVD, 6/18/22, 4:00

LARCENY, 800 WASHINGTON BLVD, SUNDAY, 6/19/22, 4:00

Carroll – Camden Industrial Area

ROBBERY – COMMERCIAL, 1800 RUSSELL ST, SATURDAY, 6/18/22, 17:00

Hollins Market

ROBBERY – STREET, 1200 W PRATT ST, FRIDAY, 6/17/22, 20:00

BURGLARY, 1100 W LOMBARD ST, FRIDAY, 6/17/22, 20:)0

Union Square

NONE

Offense definitions from the FBI

South Baltimore Peninsula Neighborhoods Map

The post South Baltimore Crime Updates first appeared on SouthBMore.com.

via https://www.southbmore.com/2022/06/28/south-baltimore-crime-updates-229/

Monday, June 27, 2022

Fast Casual South Indian Concept ‘Krishna Aunty’ Coming to Cross Street Market in Federal Hill

Fast casual South Indian concept Krishna Aunty is opening in the next couple of weeks at Cross Street Market in Federal Hill. Krishna Aunty will fill a stall vacated by Phubs last year.

Krishna Aunty is owned by the husband and wife Joseph Moroney and Divya Gopal. Moroney is from Ireland and Gopal grew up in North Carolina with parents from South India. The two met in London and moved to Baltimore last year.

Gopal works full time in finance. Moroney was a lawyer in Ireland and London and “didn’t want to move sideways or backwards” in his legal career when moving to the United States. He always wanted to start his own business, so came up with the idea for Krishna Aunty.

Moroney was used to North Indian dishes commonly available in the United Kingdom, but found the food Gopal was eating at home much different. He really enjoyed the cuisine and figured there must be many others who would enjoy this style of food as well.

The duo launched Krishna Aunty a year ago as a virtual restaurant based out of B-More Kitchen in North Baltimore. Moroney said he wanted to start virtually to learn more about the business before investing too much capital. They later began searching for a pop-up space as the next step for the business.

Gopal and Moroney met with Caves Valley Partners about a space at Cross Keys in North Baltimore, but both parties decided it wasn’t a great fit and decided to look at Cross Street Market instead. Krishna Aunty has committed to six months at the market and Moroney hopes it will eventually become permanent.

The inspiration for the name comes as Krishna is the middle name of Gopal and Moroney’s son and the first name Gopal’s mother. Aunty is a “respectful and informal term for an older woman in India,” said Moroney.

Moroney said Krishna Aunty is “homestyle Indian dishes, but convenient for an American lifestyle.” The menu offers wraps in an Indian flatbread as well as bowls using rice, spinach, or a rice and spinach combination. Moroney said 60 percent of the menu is suitable for vegans or vegetarians.

The combinations that come as a wrap or bowl are Channa Masala with chickpeas stewed in garlic, ginger, coriander, turmeric, chili, and cumin; the Beans & Potato Kura with potatoes and green beans infused with the flavors of ginger, garlic, and chili; Aloo Gobi with potatoes and cauliflower flavored with ginger, garlic, turmeric, chili, and coriander; Andhra Chicken with chicken cooked in cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, turmeric, and chili; and the Keema with ground lamb with peas infused with cloves, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, garlic, and ginger.

“Having worked in a job where you are in the office all day, I like the idea of having something that is a good healthy option that isn’t compromising on taste and isn’t going to leave you still hungry,” said Moroney.

Krishna Aunty will be open every day at 11am and will close Sunday to Wednesday at 8pm, Thursday at 9pm, and Friday and Saturday at 10pm. It will be available on the delivery apps and for online order on Krishna Aunty’s site.

Moroney said he enjoys that Cross Street Market is walking distance to his home in Federal Hill and likes the market concept.

When asked about up the ups and downs of Cross Street Market coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, Moroney said, “One of the things very important to me was that the people involved in the market were very enthusiastic about plans going forward and had concrete ideas. As these plans are now starting to come to fruition, people will come back in large numbers and, as vendors, we need to give them a reason to come back.”

Photos below from Krishna Aunty

The post Fast Casual South Indian Concept ‘Krishna Aunty’ Coming to Cross Street Market in Federal Hill first appeared on SouthBMore.com.

via https://www.southbmore.com/2022/06/27/fast-casual-south-indian-concept-krishna-aunty-coming-to-cross-street-market-in-federal-hill/

Friday, June 24, 2022

Atlas Restaurant Group to Reactivate Two Bars Inside Cross Street Market in Federal Hill

In February, Atlas Restaurant Group took a larger role in the operations and marketing of Cross Street Market and now the team will be reactivating the two closed bars within the building. Atlas is taking over the former Cans Filling Station and Old Line Cocktail & Wine Bar “on a temporary basis” to bring back the “central energy the market needs,” according to Atlas Director of Marketing and Public Relations Joe Sweeney.

The controlling partner of Cross Street Market is Caves Valley Partners (CVP) and CVP Partner Arsh Mirmiran told SouthBMore.com Atlas will operate both bars until “until we figure out a long-term plan.” He also said they will wait to see if any other operator wants to “step up and take over.”

The former Cans will be called Market Ale House and will open in the next couple of weeks. It will focus on craft beers. The refrigerators for canned beers were removed, the stall was painted black and red, and the Market Ale House Logo was added. It still has more than 20 beer taps.

The former Old Line will be called Cross Street Cocktails. It is aiming to open sometime in July and will focus on cocktails, spirits, and wine.

Sweeney said, “One of the things we are looking to do at Market Ale House is to bring in breweries from the surrounding counties to do tap takeovers. We are talking to breweries who don’t distribute to the city as much but would still like to build a presence here. We don’t have any scheduled just yet, but we will very soon.”

He added, “We didn’t go too crazy with the names, because we just want them to be seen simply as Cross Street Market’s bars, not necessarily individual concepts that we are pushing.”

Atlas owns Watershed and Atlas Fish Market at Cross Street Market along with more than 20 other food concepts in the Baltimore area.

Cross Street Market has seen 10 vendor closures coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, but Market Ale House and Cross Street Cocktails are two of the five new concepts coming to the market. They join Velleggia’s, a yet-to-be-named Indian stall, and a radio booth run by a group of Baltimore radio stations.

DMV Empanadas, The Chicken Lab, and Blowfish Poke have opened at Cross Street Market since the end of 2021.

CVP and its leasing team at CAVAdev still have several spaces within the market available for lease.