Clarksville Commons and The Common Kitchen were thrilled to be featured in Visit Howard County’s “Hidden Gems” series on WMAR-TV in Baltimore. Click to watch the video to discover just a few of the things that make us unique and a fun place to visit.
Clarksville, MD – As spring arrives alongside the much-anticipated vaccine, outdoor events at Clarksville Commons are blooming! Building upon the Commons’ winter farmers and crafts markets will be a new and improved farmers market kicking off on May 1, 2021 from 10am-2pm.
This year’s market will feature several local farmers including Hensing’s Hilltop Acres; Clark’s Farm; Pong’s Orchard; and new additions Blue Gables Farm and Mojo Mushroom Farms. Great Harvest Bread Co., Balti’Marons, and Half Baked Pastries will also be at the market on a weekly basis. In addition to the regular weekly vendors, Clarksville Commons Farmer Market will feature more than a dozen half-time and monthly local food and craft vendors including Number 1 Sons, Highland Concepts, Sapwood Cellars, The Salvaged Stitch, Althea’s Almost Famous and more throughout the season.
George and Holly Stone, principal developers of Clarksville Commons, are especially pleased to announce the market’s participation in the Maryland Market Money program. MMM is a matching program that allows community members receiving SNAP benefits to stretch their dollars at farmers markets. MMM allows Clarksville Commons to match up to $5 per household, per market day, for SNAP-eligible foods. “Clarksville Commons is thrilled to be the first, and only, market in Howard County to offer Maryland Market Money,” stated Holly Stone. “Having easy access to local, fresh, healthy food is so important. We hope that being part of this program allows members of our community greater access to not just the food, but the farmers that grow it.”
Live music on Friday nights also returns to the Commons on May 7, 2021, beginning at 6:30pm. Kicking off the season’s musical entertainment will be Cosmic Collective, an electric jazz band that produces a dynamic, smooth, and refreshingly unpredictable blend expertly produced by every member of the ensemble. The free live music will continue every Friday evening throughout the spring and summer and will feature a wide mix of genres including jazz, rock, and folk.
Clarksville Commons’ popular free outdoor movie series will return this summer with an entirely new selection of films for the whole family to enjoy. Movies will be on Wednesdays in July and August, and announcements on the exact movies to be shown will be coming soon.
All of the outdoor markets and events at Clarksville Commons require masks to be worn and social distancing maintained.
Clarksville Commons, Howard County’s first sustainable mixed-use commercial center, features environmentally sustainable architectural design and a focus on environmental stewardship and community impact. Every business at Clarksville Commons is encouraged to embrace sustainability and use environmentally conscious products.
Clarksville, MD – Co-owner and operator Kelly Vo is pleased to announce the opening of Bliss Natural Nail Care at Clarksville Commons. Bliss was able to open quickly, even during these difficult times of a global pandemic, with only minimal work needed to update the space formerly occupied by Frenchies Modern Nail Care.
An updated décor with an emphasis on the calming attributes of the ocean invites you to relax from the moment you enter. With a brilliant wall featuring thousands of nail polishes, customers have a sea of colors to choose from when it comes to their manicure and pedicure. Bliss is a natural salon, so no artificial or acrylic nails are offered, allowing the space to be free of dust and chemical odor. In addition to the eight pedicure and nine manicure stations, a private room for face waxing has been added.
Bliss Natural Nail Care services utilize single-use tools for both manicures and pedicures, and removable single-use linings for pedicures. The salon’s stringent cleanliness policy was enhanced in deference to the nation’s new recommendations in relation to COVID-19. A sink has been added to the welcome area for guests to wash their hands before and after their spa treatment; temperatures will be taken upon arrival; plexiglass has been added to all workstations; social distancing is being adhered to with every other workstation in use as a given time; and a maximum of ten people will be allowed in the spa at one time.
Co-owner Kelly Vo is thrilled to be a part of the Clarksville Commons community. “I have wanted to open a nail salon in this area for such a long time. The opportunity to be here at Clarksville Commons is exciting for me and I hope to become a valuable member of this business community.”
Clarksville Commons is approximately 50,000 sq. ft sustainable, mixed-use commercial center, creating a sense of place on Route 108 in the center of Clarksville. Clarksville Commons features environmentally sustainable architectural design, including photovoltaic solar panels, a green roof, cisterns to capture rainwater, and porous pavers and rain gardens for storm water runoff mitigation. Clarksville Commons is a winner of the Wintergreen Award for Excellence in Green Building by the United States Green Business Council (USGB).
Clarksville, MD – George and Holly Stone, principal developers of Clarksville Commons, are thrilled to announce that Bushel and a Peck Kitchen & Bar will be taking over the restaurant space formerly occupied by Food Plenty.
A joint venture between longtime friend sommelier Rob Wecker and Chef Joe Krywucki who have worked together several times over the years, Bushel and a Peck promises to bring the very best of the Chesapeake to their menu.
“Joe and I are thrilled to be opening Bushel and a Peck,” says Co-Owner Rob Wecker. “We hope to capture the spirit of the Chesapeake in our menu and offer a welcoming, approachable dining experience for the Clarksville community.”
“Bushel & a Peck is inspired by our love of the water and the flavors that come from the bounty of the Chesapeake Bay watershed,” adds Co-Owner and Executive Chef Joe Krywucki. “The name of the restaurant also carries a sentimental value, as it was my mother’s favorite song to sing to me and my siblings when we were young.”
Working with and supporting family farmers is a hallmark of the team and they intend to include many locally sourced items on the Bushel and a Peck Kitchen & Bar menu.
The existing space provides Wecker and Krywucki a strong foundation to build upon and will likely enable them to have a quick renovation and open as early as Labor Day. Bushel and a Peck will retain the existing layout with seating for over 200, including the outdoor patio space. They plan to slightly alter the bar to allow for a dozen beers, several wines, and even cocktails on tap.
Clarksville Commons, Howard County’s first sustainable mixed-use commercial center, features environmentally sustainable architectural design and a focus on environmental stewardship and community impact. Every business at Clarksville Commons is encouraged to embrace sustainability and use environmentally conscious products.
For additional information contact Rob Wecker at bushelpeckkitchen@gmail.com or via Iron Bridge Wine Company at, 410.997.3456.
Clarksville, MD – Several of the businesses that are part of The Common Kitchen, Howard County’s first food hall, have taken their commitment to serving the community to new heights during the nation’s coronavirus pandemic.
Koshary-by-Misteka’s #DontEatAlone campaign has donated funds to several groups over the last few weeks including the Maryland Food Bank and Baltimore’s Mera Kitchen Collective. The Collective is staffed by refugees and to date they have cooked/packaged/provided over 6000 free community meals thanks to the generosity of donors like Misteka.
Koshary-by-Misteka’s loyal client base has also found a way to contribute their help by donating koshary bowls and meals to healthcare workers at Montgomery General Hospital. Over 50 meals including koshary bowls, salads, and falafel, have been donated by customers for medical and essential staff. The outpouring of support has led owner Iman Moussa to create the #ThankYouMeal campaign. Within just two days of its creation, over 60 meals have been ordered and donated to healthcare workers and staff. Customers who wish to donate meals can do so by ordering the meals online at KosharybyMisteka.com and listing as donation for #ThankYouMeal in the comments.
Tasty Empanadas, a new addition to The Common Kitchen that opened in December 2019, was still adjusting to the demands of being a sole proprietor when Maryland was required to shelter to in place. Owner Lourdes Karina Pinto had closed her business to assess steps forward when she began to be contacted by groups needing large orders. With help from her family members, Lourdes was able to make over 1100 empanadas for workers at Johns Hopkins Howard County General Hospital. Her daughter, who can often be found behind the counter at The Common Kitchen, baked dozens of cookies to hand out to the healthcare workers in appreciation for their hard work and sacrifice.
Holly Stone, the managing partner of GreenStone Ventures II and The Common Kitchen, was not at all surprised to hear that such acts of kindness were being led by businesses from the food hall and marketplace. “The two-part goal of The Common Kitchen is to nourish the community while growing small businesses by bringing together local entrepreneurs and hungry people. That is a commitment that all of us at The Common Kitchen take to heart and if anything, this situation has shown us that there are times when you need to return the love and support you have been given. We are all in this together.”
The Common Kitchen consists of eleven independent counters and space for shelf-stable merchandise. The food hall includes a commercial kitchen shared by the tenant businesses. The smaller retail footprint and shared kitchen spaces allow entrepreneurs to put more of their resources into production instead of overhead, which is vital to an emerging business.
Currently, The Common Kitchen is closed to the public but Trifecto Bar and Anh-mazing Bahn Mi are open daily for curbside pickup and delivery. In addition, Koshary-by-Misteka, Tasty Empanadas, and Scoop & Paddle Ice Cream are taking online orders for pick up on Fridays and Saturdays. For details visit https://thecommonkitchen.com/ or contact General Manger Elias Castillo, 410.300.6251
A local marketplace with 10 vendors, packaged goods, and a coffee, juice and cocktail bar will open this spring at the Clarksville Commons — the first food hall in Howard County, according to the developers of the project.
George and Holly Stone moved to the small Howard County community of Clarksville from Rockland County, N.Y., in 1990. During the past 27 years, they’ve seen their sleepy little village slowly grow and thrive, not only as a gateway between Baltimore and Washington, D.C., but as a live-work-play destination in its own right.
