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Afternoon: Mostly-Made-in-Hampden

Makers are flocking to this creative outpost, and you can find their creative wares in indie boutiques, art galleries, and food shops all along The Avenue. Do not miss Ma Petite Shoe, showcasing designer shoes and locally-made gourmet chocolates. How’s that for a dream come true? At Trohv, with its colorful displays of artsy gifts and home goods, you’ll be tempted by handmade hot sauces, furniture, letterpress stationery, and more. And okay, while Caravanserai does not purvey local goods, per se, we have to mention this festive extravagance offering goods from artists around the world, everything from Afghani tribal rings to embroidered sofas to Moroccan lamps.

All this said, the talk-along-The-Avenue is the new Whitehall Food Market on nearby Falls Road, opening in March 2020. A 1732 grist mill, which originally gave life to the neighborhood, has been converted into this sprawling, 18,000-square-foot food shrine and maker paradise. Just follow your nose to local purveyors like Ceremony Coffee Roasters, Firefly Farms Market (yummy cheeses nurtured on Maryland pastures), and Crust by Mack (aka scrumptious sweets). Granted, you might not be hungry right now, but the folks back home might appreciate a foodie gift. You’ll also find handcrafted homewares here—check out the Homebody General Store.

Filmmaker and Baltimore native John Waters filmed several movies in Hampden, and he’s sometimes seen strolling the Avenue, popping into shops (they say looking for vintage costumes for his next movie) and enjoying the annual festivals (Hampdenfest in September is amazing, by the way, a neighborhood arts and music celebration complete with toilet bowl race). Legendary Atomic Books at 36th and Falls is devoted to Waters—he has picked up his fan mail here for 25 years. It’s a fun place to stop by, with its offering of hard-to-find comic books, zines, and toys—along with an outstanding selection of books. Then, be like Waters and head to the Atomic’s back room, where a petite bar and lounge, called Eightbar, serves beer, wine, mead, and hard cider in a cozy, couch-filled setting. It’s 5 p.m. somewhere, right?