Two Cafés Close
Sorso Café, located at 500 Harborview Dr. in the Harbor View community, and Riverside Café, which was briefly open at 1401 Riverside Ave. in Federal Hill before closing for renovations, have both closed.
The Riverside Café property was recently listed for sale, advertising the space as “perfect for a café, deli or home office.” The space was once an ice cream shop open for 70 years.
STX Signs Two MLL Lacrosse Players
Carroll-Camden-based STX has signed professional lacrosse players Ryan Young and Tucker Durkin to a sponsorship. Young, a University of Maryland alum, is a Major League Lacrosse (MLL) All-Star who plays attack for the Charlotte Hounds. In the STX press release, Young said, “I am humbled and honored to join the STX family… Ever since playing with STX gear in youth lacrosse, STX has always been my brand of choice. I’m looking forward to competing with STX products again in the MLL this season.”
Durkin is a former Johns Hopkins Blue Jay who plays defense for the MLL’s Florida Launch. “Tucker’s career at Johns Hopkins set him on the path to being one of the best defenseman in the game,” said Greg Tate, STX Men’s Marketing Manager, in the STX press release. “Seeing Tucker play down the road from STX at Hopkins and during Team USA tryouts, it’s evident that he is not only a top-level player but also truly representative of the STX brand and a great fit as an STX athlete.”
Locust Point Bar Updates
A bar at 1401 Decatur St., which has been vacant for several years, is up for a transfer with the Baltimore City Liquor Board. Thundersnow LLC is applying for ownership as well as a request for off-premises catering.
The former space of Five Points Tavern and Aloha Tokyo at 1120 E. Fort Ave. has submitted a zoning variance for use as office space. The liquor license was recently transferred to The Sushi Place at 1400 Key Hwy.
Baltimore Scores another EdTech Company from New York City
Baltimore is building a niche for education technology companies as the second company in recent months has relocated from New York City to Baltimore. CiteLighter recently relocated to Betamore at 1111 Light Street in Federal Hill and now Technical.ly Baltimore is reporting that Three Ring will relocate to an undisclosed location around the Inner Harbor. From the article:
The six-person startup, founded in 2011, develops an app that creates “digital files” of students’ work, including papers, tests, video presentations and other material. Some 35,000 teachers across Maryland currently use Three Ring’s app, the company said.
Baltimore Named Ranks Fourth for Highest Taxes
Taxes, especially property taxes, have long been a frustration of Baltimore City property owners and, according to a recent USA Today ranking, Baltimore citizens and business owners have a right to complain. Baltimore ranked fourth in a list of the cities with the highest tax rates, only trailing Milwaukee, Philadelphia, and Bridgeport, Conn. However, Baltimore could soon rise to number three as Wisconsin has a plan to cut property and income taxes after a $1 billion budget surplus.
Taxes have been a big topic recently in local politics as Maryland governor candidates Doug Gansler-D and Larry Hogan-R are both looking to cut business tax rates. State delegates are also looking to help Baltimore lower the high property tax rates. District 46 Delegate Luke Clippinger-D told SouthBMore.com in a recent interview about plans that are in the works to help the city’s property tax rates, and District 43 Delegate Maggie McIntosh-D also recently introduced legislation to help the situation, including an audit of many of the city’s tax exempt properties.