Two new businesses are joining the resurgence of the Village of Cross Keys.

Sol Oaxaca, a Mexican restaurant, and Ruxton Mercantile, a general store, will be the latest additions to the North Baltimore shopping center. The eatery is slated to open in the former Donna’s Cafe space next spring, with an outdoor patio, traditional menu and array of margaritas and craft beers. The general store will open in early fall, according to a statement released by Caves Valley Partners, which owns Cross Keys.

In previous years, Cross Keys struggled to find its footing. The once-groundbreaking 1960s project spent decades in decline before being purchased by Towson’s Caves Valley Partners for $27 million in 2020. The following year, the Village Square closed, leaving the center without an eatery. But efforts to revive the development have led to a period of growth, with the opening of popular establishments Easy Like Sunday, Always Ice Cream Company and more.

“Sol Oaxaca is the final piece of the vision to make Cross Keys a dynamic dining destination,” said Arsh Mirmiran, principal at Caves Valley, in a statement. The family-oriented restaurant completes the food and beverage leasing available at the center.

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“Caves Valley’s vision combined with the heritage location and the void in upscale Mexican food offerings in the immediate area made Cross Keys the perfect location for our next restaurant,” said Sol Oaxaca co-founding partner Tom Doxanas.

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Ruxton Mercantile — located across from eatery Cece’s Roland Park — will offer houseware, apparel and wellness products, filling “an important niche,” Mirmiran said. Founder Caitlin Gibson’s wide product range allows the center to create a blend of national and local retailers for customers to choose from.

More eateries are expected to be welcoming visitors at Cross Keys in the next several months. ZaVino Italian Marketplace is expected to open in August, Kneads Bakeshop is set to open in the fall and a Chinese concept from Atlas Restaurant Group is eyeing a winter 2025 debut.

All the additions, Mirmiran said, “will, more than ever, make Cross Keys a go-to destination for area residents and businesspeople.”