Spike Gjerde, one of the biggest names in Baltimore dining, has laid out plans to open an “Italian-inspired market” in Hampden, adding to his growing roster of eateries in the area.
The new venture, dubbed Ecco Market, will be an “integrated culinary hub,” according to plans detailed on Steward, a lending platform that crowdsources funds for food producers. The market will open in a 5,000-square-foot industrial mill in Hampden, with a kitchen, trattoria, bakery, deli, two bars and retail space.
Gjerde secured an $816,000 loan from Steward on Jan. 30, according to the site. The loan, which came from small-scale investors, will go toward purchasing furniture, fixtures and equipment.
It’s not clear when the market will open. Gjerde didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on plans for the project.
Gjerde is a James Beard award-winning chef and runs Woodberry Tavern near Druid Hill Park. In the past year, he’s also announced two other new ventures. La Jetée, a French bistro, took over Cindy Lou’s Fish House in Harbor Point last fall. Bar Dalí, a tapas bar in Mount Vernon, is set to launch sometime this year.
Last August, Gjerde ceded ownership of Hampden’s Artifact Coffee to ex-wife and former business partner, Amy Gjerde.
As part of the loan agreement, Ecco Market will work with local growers and makers, aiming to generate more than $1 million annually to mid-Atlantic farmers. Ecco Market also aims to partner with local advocacy organizations focused on the Chesapeake Bay and food access for kids in Baltimore.
The market will be located in Whitehall Mill, a historic building near the Jones Falls that once had several businesses in its food hall, including Wight Tea Co., FireFly Farms and Ceremony Coffee. All have since closed.
The mill is still home to True Chesapeake, a restaurant known for its oysters, and Lock&Hue, a hair salon.
Dining and Cooking