North Baltimore’s Belvedere Square is filling several vacancies across from its market space later this year with a new Korean barbecue spot, a full-service pharmacy and a store specializing in hemp-derived goods.
Koba BBQ will open in the former space of the Starlite Diner, which closed down in 2017 after a year in business. The space has remained vacant since.
Belvedere Square’s leasing agent Michael J. Gioioso, of MacKenzie Commercial Real Estate, said the eatery aims to open by the end of 2019.
Two retail stores, The Pharmacy and Charm City Hemp, will also be joining the mix. The Pharmacy, which Gioioso described as a “a conventional service-focused community pharmacy” run by owners who are going independent after working for Walgreen’s. The store will occupy two-thirds of the former home of furniture store The House Downtown.
The other third will be filled by Charm City Hemp, which an announcement described as a “CBD boutique” offering “an extensive line of responsibly sourced, THC-free, full-spectrum [h]emp extracts.”
Gioioso said both retailers are also aiming to open by the end of the year.
Word of the new arrivals comes the same day The Sun aired concerns from some neighbors and shoppers about Belvedere Square’s future as a neighborhood attraction. They voiced worries about the departures of Ceriello Fine Foods and Ryan’s Daughter, and after owner War Horse Cities put the property up for sale.
We’ve reached out to the developer for comment.
The Plank family-connected firm, which has owned Belvedere Square since 2012, told The Sun that “as with any large mixed-use property, occupancy will fluctuate as market conditions create opportunities and challenges.” War Horse had also said told the paper “management continues to pursue other pending deals, which will be disclosed at the appropriate time.”
Gioioso said there are other leases currently in the works, with “a plan to piece together some interesting uses inside of the Ceriello space,” and a potential replacement for women’s athleisure store Vita, which closed last summer. There’s a particular focus on family-friendly, wellness and grooming-related businesses, with more priority for independent (or non-chain) businesses, he said.
Koba BBQ, The Pharmacy and Charm City Hemp will join Baltimore Bike Works and Choice One Urgent Care as new additions from the last year, all located across from the market. The Pizza Trust also opened as a new stall inside the market last summer.
