For the first time in 25 years, the 8 X 10 music venue in Baltimore’s Federal Hill Entertainment District is available for sale or lease.
The venue’s owners Brian Shupe and Abigail Janssens announced last month that they would be retiring after more than 20 years of ownership and set June 30 as the closing date.
“We came to the business as music lovers first and foremost,” Shupe said in a statement. “Owning The 8×10 let us lead a lifestyle grounded in creativity and community and became our life’s work.”
Now, they’re looking for someone to take over the property and “keep live music alive and thriving for years to come in historic Federal Hill,” a news release reads.
Located at 10 E. Cross St., the venue has hosted an average of 230 shows annually, including major musical acts like Chuck Berry, Billy Joel, Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dave Matthews Band, Phish, Lenny Kravitz, and more.
The building was totally rebuilt about 25 years ago, with one of the original walls preserved in the reconstructed venue.
The property’s four-level layout includes a spring-loaded dance floor, two green rooms with a shower, restrooms in the basement, and an ADA-accessible bathroom on the first floor.
The venue is able to hold several hundred guests across its two floors, including its balcony that offers great views of performances.
The space’s Meyer PA system has also earned the venue a reputation as “one of the best-sounding rooms on the East Coast,” according to a news release.
