By Shelonda Stokes
Like many great American downtowns, Baltimore’s urban core has evolved over time in response to economic change, shifting population patterns and new retail models, with the pandemic accelerating trends already underway. Persistent storefront vacancy, barriers to capital for small businesses and aging infrastructure are not abstract concepts; they are daily realities that have everything to do with who can open a business, who can take a risk and ultimately, who gets to participate in downtown’s economic life.
The Downtown Partnership of Baltimore created the BOOST program to directly confront those realities and ensure that a wider range of entrepreneurs can participate in and help shape downtown Baltimore’s future.
BOOST was designed as a targeted economic development tool — one that acknowledges a simple truth: Market forces alone do not always deliver equitable or sustainable outcomes, particularly in legacy downtowns navigating transition. In areas where perceived risk is high and capital is cautious, promising local minority entrepreneurs are often the first to be shut out. That is not a failure of individual effort; it is a systemic gap. BOOST exists to help fill it.
Just ask Deja Richardson, CEO of Neon Paint Place at 307 West Baltimore Street, a premier experiential art destination in downtown Baltimore that attracts visitors, organizations and corporate groups alike for immersive, interactive, creative experiences. Ask Ellen Odoi and Yvette Pappoe, owners of Decorelle at 305 N. Howard Street, which has become a nationally recognized, award-winning interior design firm redefining luxury by making high-end design accessible and inclusive. Ask Jimmie Thomas and Deverick Murray, founders of Media Rhythm Institute (MRI) at 20 N. Howard Street, which is empowering Baltimore youth by combining STEM education with media arts, storytelling and entrepreneurship. Through hands-on programming and creative mentorship, MRI fosters academic achievement while preparing young people for careers in the creative economy. There are many others.
At its core, BOOST is a public-private partnership built on shared responsibility. It activates vacant storefronts while providing financial and technical support to early-stage and locally owned businesses — many of them Black- and minority-owned — that better reflect the makeup of Baltimore as a whole. This is not about lowering standards or bypassing due diligence. It is about recognizing that talent and ambition are evenly distributed, while access to opportunity is not.
Critically, BOOST was never intended to eliminate the inherent risks of retail entrepreneurship. Anyone who suggests otherwise misunderstands both the program and the nature of small business itself. Retail is challenging—especially in a downtown still rebuilding foot traffic and confidence after years of disruption.
What BOOST does is help businesses navigate that risk by providing capital, structure, professional support and sustained engagement during a critical early phase. From the outset, we have approached BOOST as a program that must be actively managed and continuously evaluated. We remain in close communication with funders, property owners and participating businesses. We look carefully at performance, viability and lessons learned — always with the aim of improving outcomes. That is what responsible stewardship looks like.
It is also important to be clear about what BOOST is not. It is not a one-off experiment or a symbolic gesture. It is part of a broader downtown revitalization strategy that recognizes the interdependence of place and people. Vacant storefronts depress street life, discourage investment and reinforce negative perceptions. Conversely, occupied, locally rooted businesses bring energy, identity and resilience to downtown corridors.
BOOST addresses both sides of that equation. Downtown revitalization is not a linear process. It requires patience, adaptability and a willingness to invest ahead of full market recovery. Cities that wait for perfect conditions before acting often find themselves waiting indefinitely. BOOST reflects a different philosophy — one that understands that strategic intervention, when done thoughtfully and intentionally, can help catalyze momentum rather than chase it.
We are proud of the role BOOST has played during a period of significant transition for downtown Baltimore. At the same time, pride does not preclude scrutiny. We continue to assess outcomes, refine program design and identify opportunities for improvement. That work is ongoing, as it needs to be. Programs like BOOST must evolve alongside the neighborhoods and markets they serve.
The larger question facing Baltimore is not whether every individual business will succeed — that is never guaranteed anywhere. The question is whether we are willing to use the tools available to us to expand who gets a real chance to try, to invest in local talent and to activate downtown in a way that reflects our city’s diversity and ambition.
BOOST is one such tool. Though not perfect, it is purposeful. And in a moment that calls for both realism and resolve, purposeful action matters.
Downtown Baltimore’s future will be shaped by the choices we make today — about investment, inclusion and shared risk. BOOST represents our belief that a more vibrant, more equitable downtown is not only possible, but worth pursuing, together.
