“ We focus on purchasing from local and / or family-owned businesses wherever possible ,” Lawhorn explains . “ Some of our favorite local partners are Vent Coffee , Wild Kombucha , Tortilleria Sinaloa and Lorena Latino Market . Seasonal produce also is a staple , along with eco-friendly and biodegradable packaging when available .”
The restaurant had to get a bit creative as our lives changed . “ In order to continue to provide the community with plant-based options during the shutdown , Friends and Family underwent renovations to install take-out windows ,” Lawhorn says , noting that this update to offer service with limited contact allowed them to keep reaching the community during the height of the pandemic .
The practice of working with other vendors , including those that are local , is something that other Baltimore eateries do as well .
Take Good Neighbor , owned by husband-and-wife team Shawn Chopra and Anne Morgan . Chopra says their establishment — which offers coffee , including a vegan iced horchata de coco , along with classics like lattes , espresso and cappuccino — opened in May 2020 , during the pandemic . A big step , but it was something that they ’ d planned for after leaving a career in healthcare and saving for more than six years .
In addition to spotlighting four different coffee roasters , including Baltimore ’ s Black
Acres Roastery ( an artisan coffee roaster located in Highlandtown ), Chopra and Morgan sell wares by local artisans and other creatives , including porcelain and bamboo tableware , along with marbled journals and other home decor .
“ The mission of Good Neighbor is to be that , a good neighbor . We really feel that Baltimore has a lot of amazing artists and makers ,” Chopra says , revealing that customers have connected with each other via conversations , playdates and more . “ It ’ s been great .”
Lawhorn offers a similar perspective on connection . “ As implied by our name , Friends and Family are the most important aspect of our decisions ,” she explains .
The community-first business model extends beyond city limits for some restaurants . In March , Ekiben owners and co-founders Steve Chu and Ephrem Abebe drove to Vermont to cook a meal for a terminally ill customer . The Asian fusion restaurant has locations in Fell ’ s Point and Hampden , and the customer in Vermont was craving Ekiben ’ s tempura broccoli as one of her final meals . Her son-in-law emailed the owners and asked for the recipe , but Chu and Abebe didn ’ t hesitate and responded that they would travel the six hours to make it for her .
“ We ’ re just glad we could make her happy ,” Chu told the Baltimore Sun . “ I think that ’ s what hospitality is all about .”
These days , that kind of community appreciation extends to — and from — businesses across the region .
As Lawhorn explains : “ Baltimore is a beautiful city full of unique neighborhoods that each provide distinct character . To invest in Baltimore is to invest in a city of diverse residents who support and respect small businesses and their contributions to their communities .”
And today , thankfully , those relationships and contributions can continue . VB
TASTE
The Good Neighbor coffee shop , owned by Shawn Chopra and Anne Morgan ( pictured at right ), opened at the height of the pandemic .
28 BALTIMORE . ORG
RYAN RHODES
RACHEL PARAOAN