By Tashi McQueen
AFRO Staff Writer
tmcqueen@afro.com
The Mill on North Food Hall hosted its official grand opening on April 24 with community members, leaders and city officials in attendance.
The packed celebration brought to life the collaborative vision behind the initiative.
“We are a smaller version of the R. House concept, but it’s owned and operated by local vendors in our community,” said Crystal Parker, community advocate and office manager for the Coppin Heights Community Development Corporation (CHCDC). “We wanted to make sure that it was community-led, community-owned and a space that could come to and make it their own.”
R. House, located on West 29th Street in Baltimore, opened on Dec. 8, 2016. Like the R. House, the Mill on North Food Hall will offer a diverse selection of dining options including American classics, seafood, international dishes and delicious baked goods.
According to Parker, the average meal at the Mill on North ranges from $10-20, depending on the vendor. There will be discounts available for students, older adults, law enforcement and other types of first responders. Parker also mentioned the future implementation of Breadcoin, a coin-based voucher program, which will allow people to get free food using Breadcoins from participating vendors.
“It’s a space that everybody in the community can come to,” said Parker. “We want a family-centered culture. There’s space in there for children to do table artwork and play games. There’s a space for older adults to come in, sit and chat. There’s a space at the Mill on North for everyone.”
The food hall is located at 2636 West North Avenue. It has brought together six local vendors with roots in the community to serve various delicious foods, from signature Caribbean dishes to delectable sweet treats at a moderate price range.
The six vendors include Krazy Sweets, D and B Deli, Dream St. Cuisine, 3 Chefs, Double Stacked Burger and Next Phaze, which also has a location in Downtown Baltimore on 122 East Lexington Street.
“We offer everything sweet and gooey,” said Shanea Shay, co-owner of Krazy Sweets. “We have donuts and cupcakes and different variations of mini cakes. One of our biggest sellers is our pudding.”
Krazy Sweets has another location on 407 North Charles Street.
3Chefs owner David Hill said he offers an array of Caribbean and soul food dishes, including jerk chicken, oxtails, red beans and cabbage and shrimp and grits.
The new food hall is designed to be the anchor of the West North Avenue community. Stakeholders hope it will be a space where community is built and commerce is grown. It’s the first major food hub to open on North Avenue, a step forward in the larger revitalization of West Baltimore.
The CHCDC is a nonprofit organization established in 1995 to further the revitalization agenda of the Greater Coppin Heights and Rosemont communities.
The revitalization effort is spearheaded by local organizations such as the CHCDC, which also came up with the idea for the food hall. The food hall is located in a majority Black neighborhood that has experienced much disinvestment over the years. The opening of the food hall is a sign of that work coming to pass.
Celebratory Grand Opening Events:
Friday, April 25 – Business Networking Mixer – 5:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Business owners and entrepreneurs are welcome to network, tour the food hall and explore potential collaboration opportunities.
Saturday, April 26 – Community Day – Noon to 5:00 p.m.
On community day, families are welcome to come and enjoy face painting, kid-friendly entertainment and a chance to connect with their community.
Sunday, April 27 – Gospel Brunch – 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Top off the celebration at Mill on North with a gospel brunch where attendees can enjoy music and brunch specials from participating vendors.