Mount Vernon Marketplace, a once-trendy food hall in Baltimore that has seen years of rising vacancies, will shut down this month.

The closure was confirmed by Dominic Wiker, vice president and director of development for Washington Place Equities, which owns the apartment building at 520 Park Ave. that houses the food hall on the ground floor. The group also owns the neighboring apartment building at 500 Park Ave.

“We’re taking a pause,” said Wiker, adding that developers don’t have a plan yet for the 15,000-square-foot space. Wiker attributed the marketplace’s downfall in part to the pandemic, saying that the larger neighborhood has suffered from a drop-off in foot traffic since then. Individual tenants have struggled to stay in business, he said, even in cases where the landlord offered rent relief.

When it opened in October 2015, the Mount Vernon Marketplace seemed to herald a broader renaissance for the city’s dining scene and for the food hall model in particular. Remington’s R. House arrived the following year, and a few of the city-owned markets have had more upscale food hall-style developments.

Early vendors at Mount Vernon Marketplace included rising concepts like the Local Oyster and Pinch Dumplings, which was co-owned by local food personality Tim “Chyno” Chin. In a text message, Chin said the marketplace was where he launched his television career, gaining attention for his own business as well as viral dishes like “the colossal crab sandwich,” which he created for the Local Oyster. Both restaurants were featured on a Netflix show called ”Fresh, Fried and Crispy."

Chin echoed Wiker’s view that the pandemic created obstacles, including rising operating costs, decreasing traffic and the need to close during government-mandated shutdowns. He closed Pinch Dumplings in 2023; the Local Oyster shut down the same year.

Another blow for the market was the 2023 death of its original operator, Michael Klein of WPM Real Estate Group. The food hall was most recently managed by Renaud Consulting, based in Vienna, Virginia.

During a visit Tuesday around lunchtime, the marketplace was a shadow of its former self. Despite a website boasting a dozen tenants, just three stalls served the meager lunch crowd.

“We’re disappointed,” said Kevin Stevens, co-owner of Yuzu Ramen. He said the restaurant, which opened in 2024, will be looking for another home in Baltimore, though he’s not yet sure where they’ll end up.

“This is a great spot,” said Charlie Young, who owns the Brown Rice and Poke 2 U stalls. Despite the impending closure, he expressed faith that another owner could take over and reinvigorate the overall operation. “Hopefully something works out.”