BALTIMORE — Long lines for lunch on a weekday would perhaps normally be considered an inconvenience but today, people were more than happy to wait. They've been waiting for this - the grand opening of "The Mill on North" - for a long time.
"I heard about it back in October of 2024, so it's like every week we're like, 'hey, is it open? Is it open?' Karin Soden said, who works for Baltimore City Public Schools Transportation right across the street.
The crowds at Thursday's event were a clear sign that the Coppin Heights community needed something like this. In fact, the developers asked for their direct input, and brought it to life.
"Oftentimes as community we don't feel like we're listened to, but we were heard and our opinions we can literally see our opinions manifested in this space," Tori Rose, who lives nearby, told WMAR-2 News.
"It feels alive. It feels like electricity," Marie Fabienne Amisial said.
The food hall, located on West North Avenue, now hosts seven vendors offering a variety of cuisine - from soul food to sweets.
"I've lived in this community for my entire life. My family has owned a home on Longwood Street since the 60s and so it's just beautiful to see this come to life because it has been a food desert for so long," Kiana Hebron said.
"So from Coppin to KIPP, there's nothing - just destitute. So now we finally have something in between and it feels good," Karin Soden said.
New food hall opens in West Baltimore
It was important to the stakeholders that the vendors were representative of the community they served. They're all local.
"As our tax base has been primarily black women in West Baltimore, we wanted to make sure that this is an opportunity and a project that's led not only by a Black woman but the all the vendors here are black women," Councilman James Torrence told WMAR-2 News.
The project has been a long time coming. Plans started to form about 10 years ago, and development began in 2020, but was delayed by the pandemic.
"A delay is not a no, but today is, we did this together and got here together, so it's a moment to celebrate, but also it's a catalyst to do more," Councilman Torrence said.
Jovita Hertzberg designed the cocktail bar, and came out to see her work come to life.
"I came in with a blank canvas and it worked out beautifully," she told WMAR-2 News. "I think it's gonna be a fun place to hang out, stay and enjoy the scenery, the people, the music, the vibes. I think it's gonna be a lot of fun."
The property itself, which used to be a lumber mill, has been vacant for close to to 20 years. Filling it with a food hall and an apartment complex is just part of a larger, years-long revitalization effort along the West North Avenue corridor. A grocery store is on the way, along with new businesses, and new housing.
"We have about 20 parcels in the next three blocks. We've already developed for them. We got three more that we're working on, two are on the market, one's on the contract, so we're actively acquiring properties in this block to use this building as an anchor to build further investments," Meldon Dickens, executive director for the Coppin Heights Community Development Corporation, said.
"Just as a resident and a small business owner here in Baltimore, it gives me inspiration," Christina Angel said. “Because we've got great history, beautiful architecture here in Baltimore, so much we have to bring here and a lot of people, like they've said, kind of don't realize how much Baltimore has to offer, so this is hopefully the first of many in this neighborhood."
The Mill on North is now open Sunday-Thursday 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. On Friday and Saturday it's open until 11 p.m.
