BALTIMORE — Small businesses can now apply for seven short-term slots at Harborplace.
It's part of the Downtown BOOST (Black Owned and Operated Storefront Tenancy) program, first launched in 2021. Black business owners are eligible for $20,000 to $25,000 grants to use five suites, inside Harborplace's "Baltimore Boutique" concept, and two Pratt Street locations.
An open house will be held Sept. 27 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. for business owners to see the available spaces. Applications close Oct. 6. An informational webinar will take place on Zoom Sept. 18.
David Bramble of MCB Real Estate, which is working to revitalize Harborplace, said in a statement:
Our goal is two-pronged: to support Black-owned businesses who call Baltimore home, and to activate the historic Harborplace while giving locals and tourists an authentic retail experience, representative of Baltimore City.
Shelonda Stokes, president of Downtown Partnership of Baltimore, said BOOST "is a catalyst for Baltimore’s most unique Black-owned retail businesses."
She said it's a "short-term solution that gives Black entrepreneurs a leg-up to experience real business operations and expand their customer base."
More information on the program isavailable here.
