Families in West Baltimore have lacked quality dining options for a long time. That's starting to change.
Federal, state and local dignitaries joined community leaders Thursday for the grand opening of The Mill on the North, a new food hall located at 2636 West North Avenue, just steps from Coppin State University.
The 7,500-square-foot space features six vendors and a bar, offering new options in an area long considered a food desert.
“A thriving Mill on North is much more than a food hall,” said Crystal Jackson Parker, an office manager with the Coppin Heights Community Development Corporation. “It is a destination where friends, family and neighbors can call their own. Yes, there is an R. House in Remington, but on West North Avenue, the Mill on North is our house.”
Her remarks drew applause from the packed crowd.
The food hall is part of a $58 million push to revitalize the West North Avenue corridor. Funding comes from a mix of federal, state and local government grants. It also includes loans through community development financial institutions.
The West North Avenue Development Authority (WNADA) provided $25,000 in startup funding for kitchen equipment. Eateries such as Next Phaze, Double Stacked Burger, and 3 Chefs Catering are now operating out of the new food hall.
Chef Dae Wingate of Dream Street Cuisine fought back tears as she spoke about her journey to having a stall at The Mill.
“I am proof that when you block out negativity, put your head down, stay laser focused and God-centered, anybody’s dream can come true,” she said.
Wingate said she began pursuing the opportunity in 2021. She faced mounting challenges including a broken down food truck, dwindling finances and bank loan pressures.
“I was going to quit. I'm not going to lie,” Wingate said. “But the vision was way deeper than me. I know that I have a great product.”
She urged the community to support caterers like her.
“Please don't give up on us,” said Wingate. “This is everyone's shot at becoming more than what we really are.”
Organizers said the food hall will serve as more than a dining space — it’s a place of connection and rebirth, one mile from where Freddie Gray grew up. His 2015 death in police custody brought national attention to decades of disinvestment in West Baltimore.
Reflecting on the journey, Parker with Coppin Heights CDC, said the opening of The Mill is only the beginning.
“We have planted seed in fertile ground, and we will continue to water it and watch it grow.”
