On April 24, The Mill on North — a seven-vendor food hall in West Baltimore, an area long known as a food desert — was packed for its grand opening, complete with words from Baltimore officials and a cheerful ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Balloon formations lined the building’s entrance, drawing everyone from elders in the neighborhood to both students and alumni representing nearby Coppin State University inside.
The 7,800-square-foot food hall, where locals can find everything from baked treats to fresh salads to fried shrimp baskets, comes courtesy of Coppin Heights Community Development Corporation, Neighborhood Housing Services of Baltimore, and the West North Avenue Development Authority.
“I’m here today to see Black development finally come together in a predominantly Black City, 10 years after the uprising,” said patron Derrick Compton, who was sporting a “Black Dollars Matter” t-shirt.
“At one time, this area was inundated with a lot of drugs. Today, we’re developing a space where people can congregate. It’s empowering because now, instead of young people seeing people doing negative things, they can [come here to] see people doing positive things.” (Grace Hebron)
