A Black couple looking to inspire the lives of teens is looking to assist in transforming Baltimore‘s once-crowded attraction known as Harborplace back to its roots.
Michael and Dani Battle are the founders of RICH Juice Bar, which opened its first location last year in the Cherry Hill area, The Baltimore Banner reported. They are excited to be growing their business in less than a year and moving into a storefront at the Light Street Pavilion at Harborplace as revitalization plans have begun to reignite what was once a jam-packed tourist destination with various businesses and foot traffic.
“I never thought in my wildest dreams I’d have a business in Harborplace,” Michael Battle, Jr., the franchise’s co-owner said in an interview with The Baltimore Banner.
The juice bar’s employee model is focused on helping employ teenagers residing in the community where the new shop is located. Their budding small business is more than what meets the eye as it’s a youth workforce development program, which is a branch of the couple’s nonprofit Restoring Inner City Hope, Inc., also referred to as the RICH Program, aimed to provide access to resources like financial literacy, mentorship, job placement, professional development services and more to show participants from underserved neighborhoods there more in life per the website.
“Kids can exist and flourish in all kinds of areas,” Dani said.
Customers will be able to choose from an array of juices, smoothies, wellness shots, plant-based food options, and more to customers. In addition to the students getting on-the-job training and work skills, they also get to participate in financial literacy courses at Chase Bank nearby to learn how to become responsible with money.
The Battles aren’t alone in their pursuit to get business booming at Harborplace. Other local companies like Crust by Mack, owned by Amanda Mack, are taking the opportunity to be tenants at the brick-and-mortar building as well to help the city’s plans to reenergize the former hot spot.
“Everybody here is not just thinking about a business, they’re thinking about Baltimore,” Mack said.
Festivities are being organized to offer residents nearby and in surrounding areas some fun things to participate in at Harborplace.
Michael and Dani are planning to host the grand opening on Memorial Day, May 27. They are hoping they’ll be able to get bus transportation to bring some supporters in Cherry Hill to their new location for a new era at the Pavillion that will remind the city’s youth that they’re valuable wherever they go.
“Baltimore, the entire city, is yours, not just one corner,” Dani said.
