Remington December 2018

Remington Wine Company Closes

December 7, 2018.  Remington Wine Company (329 W. 29th Street) that opened in 2015 in a building owned by Seawall Development, closed for good today.  According to their Facebook page, owners Mitchell Pressman and his wife Debbie Jones cited "financial circumstances both beyond our control and of our own making.”

Image from Facebook

Image from bmoreremingtonian.com

The couple formerly owned Chesapeake Wine Company in Canton, which also closed.

The Remington shop occupied the site of the former Sav-It Liquors, a gritty, no-frills shop known for its neon sign and, after an unnerving robbery, an unwelcoming vestibule with bullet-proof glass.

The space was renovated by Seawall (of course), to include a much-improved exterior and exposed brick walls inside.  The Remington Wine Company offered a more curated, high-end selection of wines, beer and liquors, which brought in loyal Canton customers to the neighborhood, but few of the diehard locals visited, preferring Pabst over Duckpin.

The business grew substantially this year, the owners said, but it was not enough for them to go on without incurring more debt.

Sources: Baltimore Fishbowl, bmoreremingtonian.com, Facebook

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Baltimore Magazine

Beyond Video Opens on Howard Street

December 14, 2018.  A new, nonprofit based video store opens on December 14 in the old Reptile Records building on Howard Street. Through a Kickstarter campaign and a healthy donation by John Waters, the store is a reboot of the Video Americain chain that closed its doors in 2014.

According to an article in Baltimore magazine, the business will not rent movies individually. Instead, customers can pay “$12 a month that gives you three items at a time or $20 where multiple people can have six items at a time.” There will be no rental fees or late fees.

Sources: Baltimore magazine, Inquisitr.com



Neighborhood Caroling






December 22, 2018. Josh Greenfeld and friends went Yuletide caroling around the 'hood, stopping in at the 29th Street Tavern to reprise their repertoire.  They didn't sound too bad.  

Remington November 2018

Ottobar for Sale

November 2, 2018.  The Ottobar will have new owners, the club announced in a Facebook post.  A new ownership group will take over in 2019. According to the listing agent for the property, the owners are looking for a buyer who will keep the same venue.  The Ottobar website posted shows booked as far out as March 15, 2019.  It’s not clear what will happen to the club beyond that.

The business is not yet under contract at this time and the current owners will continue to operate and run The Ottobar as normal until a buyer is found who will carry on the tradition.  It's being listed for sale for the asking price of $1.25 million. Properties along the block at 2547, 2551 and 2553 N. Howard Street are listed as part of the sale, but the option to buy 2549–the address of the club–in a separate sale was offered.

The current owners thanked the musicians, fans, staff, and neighbors in Charles Village, Old Goucher, and Remington.

Sources:  Baltimore Fishbowl

Remington Storefront Challenge

November 21, 2018.  The Greater Remington Improvement Association is looking for two entrepreneurs to fill recently vacated storefronts.  In a "shark-tank style" citywide competition, "entrepreneurs and innovators who have a really great idea for a business, whether it's one they've already started or one they want to get off the ground, [it's] an opportunity to take it to the next level," said David Goldman, a representative of the Remington Storefront Challenge.

Circa 2013

The challenge is offering two locations rent-free for up to 24 months. One the is the barely used police "kiosk" on West 28th, with 900 square feet of space, and the other is the local landmark, Pizza Boli's 1,200-square-foot building 29th Street. I pity people who have to clean up that area.  I swear there is toxic waste oozing from their grease container.

Goldman also stated that the ideal business would be "new and creative" and something Remington hasn't seen before.  So that means practically everything, except an auto repair shop.

While rent is paid for, operating costs are not.  The winner will have to pay for services like heat and electricity.

Neighborhood groups like GRIA usually meet with new business owners before they open, but GRIA is taking community input a step further. The ten finalists will pitch to a panel made up of Remington residents and business owners, giving them a direct say in choosing the winners.

The competition is sponsored by the Greater Remington Improvement Association,  Johns Hopkins University (of course), and Seawall Development (our heroes). Other partners involved in the project include Central Baltimore Partnership, Howard Bank and Younts Design.

If you are thinking about competing, sources say to consider how your concept will increase foot traffic and interact with the other businesses in the area.  Entry deadline is February 1, 2019.

Sources: WBAL interview with David Goldman; technical.ly (website); https://www.rscbaltimore.com/

Remington September 2018

Seawall Buys More Remington

Class C office building at 28th and Sisson

September 1, 2018.  In its ever-expanding dominion over Remington, Seawall has purchased two more commercial buildings in Remington: A 21,615-square-foot office building at 2801 Sisson St. just off of the 28th Street Bridge and the 7,100-square-foot Walpert Building at 2804 Hampden Ave.  The properties were bought July and August of this year and settled for a mere $2.74 million.

Promotional Poster in Walpert Building

The second building at 2804 Hampden Avenue was purchased from Ronald Walpert. The building had been the headquarters for the Allan N. Walpert & Son Inc. Electricians. I'm sad to see the Walperts leaving as they were an integral part of the neighborhood for years.





Mural Walk with Gaia

2018

September 15, 2018.  The ubiquitous muralist, Andrew Pisacane (the artist formerly known as Gaia) led a special mural walk, discussing his inspiration and installation of three of his Remington murals - Appalachian Tabby, Women of Property, and Madonna.  I may have alienated the group when I questioned his choice of Women and the placement of Madonna, but inquiring minds wanted to know.




The Dizz, a Remington landmark, is up for sale

September 26, 2018.  One of Remington's most ironic (I guess I mean iconic) neighborhood bars is for sale.  Isn't every bar really up for sale?  The Dizz, (formerly known as Dizzy Issie's, Mitchells, Stu's Lounge, Tony's Place, Igor's, Buckley's and my own designation, "Basta's Bastion") located at the corner of West 30th Street and Remington Avenue, is on the market for $875,000, according to  local press.

My photo 2017

While the bar and restaurant, with its neon sign, colorful (and uncomfortable) patio furniture, and far too many string lights has been a fixture in the community for decades and was presented with a certificate of recognition from Comptroller Peter Franchot in May 2018, it still got a shut down by the Baltimore City Health Department in July 2018, because of health code violations. The Department records cited improper and insufficient “cold hold,” which means bad refrigeration, as well as improper and insufficient hand
washing (yuk!).

The Dizz updated the kitchen equipment and refinished the floors in August, the cost of which may have prompted the sale.  The sale price does include the building next door, but I'm thinking it may be on the market for quite some time unless the price is reduced.  But who knows?  It's Remington, weird things happen.



JHU Crosses Remington Avenue

September 27, 2018.  JHU is now occupying the top floor of the old Continental Oil Building at 320 W. 29th Street.  Bet no one knew what that ugly gray structure used to be.  The new JHU enterprise, called FastForward U, is a student-focused facility that seeks to encourage innovation, entrepreneurship, and problem-solving for its students. 


Of the 10,000 sq. ft. space, a little more than two-thirds is dedicated to coworking. There are also conference rooms to meet and common areas for gathering and hosting events. Indicating potential interplay with academics, it’s already playing host to a weekly class.

It’s designed to provide space for students across the whole university. Kerrie Carden, JHTV’s Director of Student Ventures, said the space aims to provide resources for students creating a
startup, social enterprise or nonprofit at any level, from the “curious to committed.”

“This is not just a place for founders. It’s meant for anybody who wants to solve problems,” said Carden who started in the role in August.

Whether they are undergraduate or graduate students, “we want to be a place where you can come in and ask any question whatsoever,” Carden said. There’s also room for hardware, with a 2,000 sq. ft. make space. Operated by the Whiting School of Engineering, the space has tools to work with wood and metal, as well as laser cutters and 3D printers. It provides new tools for student clubs that previously worked at a separate building in Homewood. Colocating the two kinds of spaces also provides the potential for students working on hardware and software to interact, Carden said.
Expanding on the initial home at the hub within the Rangos building on the university’s hospital campus in East Baltimore, the space is part of the effort under FastForward U to up resources
for student entrepreneurs. With entrepreneurship already happening among students, Johns Hopkins Tech Ventures set out to centralize offerings and provide an entry point. FastForward U also provides funding for student ventures at various stages and hosts events such as monthly pitch nights.
Johns Hopkins Tech Ventures also operates two other innovation hubs geared toward entrepreneurial efforts by faculty and the wider Hopkins community at 1812 Ashland Ave. in East Baltimore, and in the same building as R. House.

Source:  Staff, The Hub, 9/24/18

Remington August 2018

Women of Property.  Gaia 2017.

Murals

Gaia has been busy around Remington finishing three murals which, supposedly, depict the distinct auras of the three communities that comprise the neighborhood.  If you read my book, you will know which communities I'm talking about.  The first mural appeared in Greater Remington on 26th Street in Fall 2017 entitled "Women of Property", which makes no sense because one of the women was Section 8 and didn't own her property.  She no longer lives in Remington.  However, she still visits so frequently it's like she never left.

Twenty-sixth Street doesn't have a high volume of traffic, so it's not likely to elicit much commentary.

The second mural appears in the Stony Run area on Remington Avenue at Wyman Park Drive.  It depicts the large alley cat that the block adopted.  I haven't seen it since the mural was painted; it probably got scared.  Other Stony Run fauna are shown.  The most commentary I've heard was questioning the inclusion of the heron (which I mistook for an egret) as no one seems to have seen one in the Park.  I saw one in the Jones Falls a couple years ago, so I'm sure they are hiding somewhere.

The third and last Gaia mural got me some screed on Facebook, just because I questioned the choice of locale.  The gorgeous painting, in Little Little Italy, shows the influence of Italian immigration to the area.  Unfortunately, it is on the side of a bar where there is trash collection.  I thought it rather appropriate in a black humor sort of way, so I posted it in the local FB group, and boy did that generate some unnecessary commentary.

Anyway, thanks to Gaia for putting the aRt in Remington.

New 'Big Jump' Bike Lane and Remington

August 27, 2018.  Sunday, August 26, a date that will live in infamy for Remington drivers.  On that day, city leaders inaugurated a new bike lane that they hope will improve accessibility for residents in Reservoir Hill and Remington. Called the BigJump, the bike lane eliminates one lane of southbound traffic on Sisson Street. It’s part of a nationwide initiative called the Big Jump Project, sponsored by the group PeopleForBikes. Baltimore was one of 10 cities selected nationwide.

It will be a yearlong pilot program, said German Vigil, a spokesman for of the city’s transportation department, during which his office will seek feedback from pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers to find ways to improve it. So far, Vigil said, the lane has been popular with pedestrians, though he acknowledged that there had been some complaints from drivers who objected to the removal of a lane of traffic.  Everyone I know who owns a car in Remington curses the lane every time they have to drive past.  As a pedestrian, I love it. I can now cross 28th Street without fear of impending death from loco drivers.

What motorists don't understand is why some of us choose not to drive.  The reasons are many and varied, but check this out:  A 66-year-old wheelchair-bound woman who lives in Reservoir Hill used the path to go to the Burger King on Sisson Street (she bought a bacon cheeseburger).  So there, the bike lane is contributing to local economy.  Bike on!

Source: ctkacik@baltsun.com

Remington July 2018

From Wyman Park Drive Bridge 2018

Stony Run Restoration



July 20, 2018.  After weeks of boulders being excreted loudly from a plethora of dump trucks, the restoration of Stony Run has, thankfully, moved farther downstream.  There was coverage of the event by CBS Local News, and I got a pic from Wyman Park Drive bridge.  It looks nice!

Remington Avenue & 33rd Street 2018

However, in keeping with the standards of local politics, we also got a set of rules governing the use of the park.  Sigh.  The sign is placed on the north side of Remington Avenue Bridge with the Rules & Regulations facing 33rd Street.  There's a map of the area on the reverse side that, supposedly, shows the layout of the Stony Run.  You have to get up close and personal to read the fine print.

The Stony Run Trail

The Dizz Hit with Health Code Violation

July 20, 2018.  The Baltimore City Health Department closed The Dizz this week because of health code violations.

Department records cite improper and insufficient “cold hold,” which means bad refrigeration, as well as improper and insufficient handwashing.

On Tuesday, July 19, the bar posted a message on its Facebook page citing mechanical failures: “The Dizz is closed due to unexpected mechanical failures in our kitchen. Repairs are underway and we will reopen as soon as possible. Please stay tuned for updates about our reopening date.”

The bar has been closed since July 18. Elayne had no comment.

Parts and Labor Closes

July 31, 2018.  Another one bites the dust. Spike Gjerde announced the end of his Remington operation and will close the restaurant after dinner service on August 8, 2018.  A temporary pop-up bar will be there for the next 60 days, serving food and drink from 4pm-10pm, Wednesday through Saturday.  I mourn the loss of the butcher shop where I could find beef tongue, sweetbreads, and blood sausages.  Spike gave it a good run (4 years), but he obviously did not understand Remington demographics.  If they accepted EBT, the shop would have been teeming.

Photo by Author 2014

The restaurant started out with lofty ideas as demonstrated by its "hearth to table" menu. The fare focused on ala carte items, including different cuts of steak, pork chops and, my faves, 20 different kinds of sausage.  They offered "cured meat boards" where customers could select their own ham, terrine, or sausages.  Alas, poor Spike's bubbled burst when he realized that blue-collared Remington could not support his efforts.  The menu was eventually revamped from steak to burgers; charcuterie to soup; and prices from $20-$30 dropping to $8-$14.  They even changed the decor, replacing the huge replica of the Ft. McHenry.  Good effort, but remember location, location, location.

Remington June 2018

Sterling's 2013

The Rise and Fall of Blacksauce Kitchen

Things are moving so fast around here! Good thing I wrote down what used to be where.  I can't believe I actually miss Sterling's.

Blacksauce Kitchen moved into the old Sterling's Seafood space in Remington that was sold at auction in early July 2015.  Sterling's owners/managers, Steve and Dorothy Goff, bought the business from Jack Norris (you know, the 3 Miles owner) and had tried for 11 years to keep up Sterling's tradition, but it lacked the quality and quantity that the former owner had established.  The recession furthered its demise.

Mosley and Lugo at Waverly Farmer's Market 2015

Pre-opening  December 2016

Blacksauce Kitchen owners Damian Mosley and Vesnier Lugo, who are famous for dishing out unique biscuit sandwiches at the Waverly Farmers' Market, decided they needed a brick-and-mortar shop for their product and catering business.  The buildings were bought by Lighthouse Point Advisors, LLC (whoever they are), and leased to Blacksauce Kitchen.  The caterers worked on setting up shop and opened their take-out service in January 2017, with a plan on opening a restaurant.
The service was only open on Thursdays from 11am - 8pm and the menu offered more than the signature market sandwiches. Their prices, however, were not geared toward the established Remington residents.  I tried to like it for a couple weeks, but, meh.   Lines were out the door, however, so they had some clientele.

Blacksauce was still catering and doing the markets.  Their 29th street shop was used mostly for prepping for that side of the business.  On March 9, the storefront caught fire, severely damaging the building.

The Fire Department first responded to a call shortly after midnight  The fire reignited several hours later, and the engines had to return at 4:13 a.m.

Initially, Mosely and Lugo thought the shop would be closed for several weeks, but, according to the caterers' social media pages, they permanently closed the store.