Restaurants don’t just die. More often, they get rebranded. A host of local taverns and restaurants that closed during the pandemic are on the cusp of reopening under new ownership — and with new identities to match. Other restaurants have undergone major shifts, emerging from their pandemic cocoons with new business models. This week we’ll look at one local pub’s new identity in Station North, and stop by Woodberry Kitchen, which became an event space during the pandemic. And we’ll check out a new salad spot in Harford County and a bakery pop-up in the former Crust by Mack space.
The Dish: Why it’s the best time ever to eat in Baltimore; Woodberry Kitchen turns 15
Security costs for Maryland Gov. Hogan’s 2022 travels top $200K
As Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan crisscrosses the country in search of support for a possible 2024 presidential run, there’s always one person on his team, usually off to the side, keeping a sharp eye on the room: a Maryland state trooper. Hogan, like previous Maryland governors, has an executive protection detail from the Maryland State Police that drives him to meetings and events and keeps close watch on the governor’s safety. That protection doesn’t end when Hogan transitions from official government business to personal political business, like his feeling-out process for 2024. That security protection comes at a cost to Maryland taxpayers.
Black Friday habits have shifted, but Baltimore-area shoppers seek bargains and hold on to traditions
To some Baltimore-area shoppers, the hallmarks of past Black Fridays such as long lines, jammed aisles and countdowns to doorbuster deals seemed a distant memory on Friday. Economic concerns and stretched-out retail promotions have altered day-after-Thanksgiving shopping patterns. So have increased online buying and stay-at-home habits formed during the pandemic. “This is definitely not like the early 2000s, with wraparound lines and all the craziness,” said Christine Gower, a mental health therapist from White Marsh. “It’s actually way more relaxed this year.” With elevated prices for food, rent, gasoline and other essentials, many people were reluctant to spend unless there was a big sale. Shoppers were being more selective, dipping more into savings and turning to “buy now, pay later” installment services.
Nonprofits prepare for new wave of difficulties
As nonprofit organizations continue to regain footing from the pandemic, many are also preparing for another wave of difficulties due to inflation and a looming recession. Heather Iliff, Executive Director of Maryland Nonprofits, the statewide organization that supports and advocates for nonprofits in Maryland, said that many nonprofits do not even consider themselves fully recouped. “Many of our balance sheets have not recovered, as well as the nature of funding. Many organizations have had to scale up their funding to reach their mission and high levels of need from the pandemic,” Iliff said. Rising costs for transportation, gas and food are creating financial pressures for many organizations, especially smaller ones.
‘No one wants to be out on the corner every day.’ Community leaders work in Baltimore’s violence intervention program to attract participants.
Pastor Marvin McKenstry Jr. waited for more than an hour at his West Baltimore church, but the young man he was supposed to meet did not show. “He was spinning us for a minute,” recalled McKenstry of the young man who told them he was waiting for a Lyft ride at first but never made it to the church. McKenstry, who is pastor of the Victory House Worship Center, decided to go find the man in Penn North. McKenstry and two outreach workers from the nonprofit Youth Advocate Programs met with the man to encourage him not to engage in violence and instead to participate in the city’s violence intervention program, known as the Group Violence Reduction Strategy.
Smith Island changed course after devastation of Hurricane Sandy in 2012
For the people of Smith Island, weather guides a way of life as much as the tranquil atmosphere for which it has become known. Hurricanes with names like Hazel, Agnes, Isabel and Irene become part of the zeitgeist, never fading from memory as recollections of their destructive and unrelenting power are passed from one generation to the next. It is told in the context of high tides in the great watermen tradition, an industry that has become an unspoiled culture on the island like its own Elizabethan dialect. Yet a decade after Hurricane Sandy struck in 2012, the self-reliance and faith that has become the hallmark of the 9-mile archipelago in the wake of its damage is more evident than ever.
States take key role in fighting fake online reviews
With studies showing that at least three-quarters of online shoppers check product and service reviews before they buy, the evaluations have become more important than ever in global commerce. But fake reviews upend the system. In the United States, state attorneys general and a key federal agency are leading efforts to crack down on false or manipulated reviews that can lead to purchases of shoddy products or services and sometimes leave little recourse for consumers. Still, efforts to address the problem pale in comparison to the number of fake reviews and the economic damage they cause, according to recent studies from the Center for Data Innovation and the World Economic Forum.
Congressional Hispanic Caucus welcomes new House members, reflects on Latino vote
The campaign arm of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus welcomed the highest number of Democratic Latino lawmakers elected to Congress, during a Friday event at the Democratic National Committee headquarters. CHC BOLD PAC chair, Democratic U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego of Arizona, said continuing to reach out to Latino communities and young voters will be key to taking back the House in 2024, as this week control went to House Republicans following the midterm elections. Gallego said Latinos came out and voted for Democrats in three key Senate races — in Arizona, Nevada and Pennsylvania — and he expects the number of Latinos who come out to vote in 2024 will be even higher than in the midterms.
A Maryland small business on how buying local is a very big deal
Cheese lovers can now find Firefly Farms goat cheeses in grocery store chains, but when Mike Koch and Pablo Solanet started their business in 2002, they were operating on a very small scale and doing everything themselves. “We started in the way that a lot of cheesemakers do on a farmstead on our property,” said Koch, describing the first operation in Garrett County, Maryland, as a microbusiness. “Pablo was a fulltime goatherd,” Koch said with a laugh. Their cheeses were sold at farmers markets across the D.C. area, and Koch said they marked their first full month in business that year with “just shy of $700 of sales for the month.” Now, Koch told WTOP, “between the retail business and the manufacturing business, it looks like 2022 will finish a little over $4 million” in business.
Viewpoint: Here’s how Baltimore, other cities can make the best use of Covid relief funds
More than $1.1 billion was allocated to Maryland’s local governments under the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Municipalities across the U.S. are landing major projects that would otherwise require years of careful budgeting. Baltimore received $641 million, including $4.9 million to complete the redevelopment of Lexington Market, $11 million to combat food insecurity and $35 million to help close the city’s digital divide. This summer, Mayor Brandon Scott announced the allocation of $3.4 million in relief funding for nonprofits serving Baltimore residents. These funds are the next round of distributions made through the mayor’s $8.3 million investment into the Baltimore Civic Fund’s Nonprofit Relief Fund.