Baltimore's Downtown Partnership celebrates local businesses committed to developing once-vacant storefronts
Baltimore's Downtown Partnership is celebrating development in the city on Tuesday.
Its annual meeting will honor the progress made in bringing local businesses to downtown neighborhoods. The event, held at M&T Bank Stadium, will feature a downtown marketplace, which brings local businesses together in one room for a unique experience. The organization will also hand out awards to honor Downtown Baltimore businesses and owners who have shown dedication to the area.
WJZ is the proud media partner for the sold-out event.
"It gave me a way to expand my wings"
Among the businesses featured at the marketplace will be The Black Genius Art Show, which now sits on N. Eutaw Street downtown.
The owner, Bryan Robinson, said he has loved art since he was younger, but never had a place to showcase it. Through the Downtown Partnership's Boost program, Robinson found a storefront to create his own gallery, which not only features his work, but also other local artists.
"It gave me a location. It gave me a way to expand my wings as an artist, bringing other creatives, young and old," Robinson added. "It gave me a foundation to say, I want to run my business a little better with financials and just spreading the word."
Robinson was among the first cohort of entrepreneurs in the program. The Boost Program places new business owners in vacant storefronts in the 106 blocks covered by the Downtown Partnership.
"We want to address vacancies, but we also want to talk about and show what Baltimore has to offer," Germaine Prince, who is the economic development manager for the Downtown Partnership, explained.
Looking to inspire others
The gallery, which opened five years ago, is gearing up for the "Hero is Champion" show, which opens Saturday at 6 p.m. It also features hangable and wearable art for purchase.
Robinson says his goal is to make a space that captures the character of downtown and inspires others to follow their dream.
"Someone to come in, feel it, take it into their community, and say, 'Oh, I've been to a cool place downtown Baltimore,' and that's what the vision behind this building has done for the last five years," Robinson said.
Downtown Partnership says its goal for next year is to continue developing major corridors, including helping businesses with upkeep on their facades and signage.
