A collaborative project between Downtown Frederick Partnership, McClintock Distilling, and the City of Frederick, aims to bring a vibrant new food hall to the heart of Downtown Frederick. 

The development will be located between Carroll Creek Linear Park and East Patrick Street, transforming a 6,000-square-foot basement-level space, owned by McClintock Distilling. It will house four compact food vendors (each occupying between 200 and 350 square feet), a central bar, and a local goods market stall.

The food hall is intended not only as a key destination for residents and tourists, but also as a resource for early-stage culinary entrepreneurs, by helping to lower the financial barriers to Downtown Frederick’s competitive commercial landscape.

Kara Norman, Executive Director of Downtown Frederick Partnership, highlights how the project’s goal to “foster a more diverse and inclusive small business community” will benefit all residents by “strengthening the economic landscape of our community”.

The food hall development contributes to the Partnership’s overarching goal—laid out in their 2025 Strategic Plan and Equitable Business Development Strategy—to promote entrepreneurship, growing businesses, job creation, and access to resources.
the Partnership points to commercial space and startup capital as two of the biggest roadblocks for small business owners, which this project seeks to address.

"This project is a perfect example of what happens when we work together to lower the barriers to business ownership," emphasized Mayor Michael O'Connor. “It's about making Frederick a place where good ideas and hard work have a real chance to thrive."

Although the cost of renovation is predicted to exceed $1,000,000—which accounts for architectural design, engineering, and food hall consultation—the project has already received a significant financial backing of $500,000. A grant from Project Restore 2.0, an initiative of the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) to revitalize vacant buildings, support small businesses, and improve commercial corridors, accounts for $300,000. Additionally, the DHCD’s Strategic Demolition Fund awarded the project $200,000 to assist with the rehabilitation costs of the building.

Construction is slated for late summer 2025, and is expected to be completed within the following year. The application process for food hall tenants will open up in spring 2025. McClintock Distilling and the Partnership plan to work with several key community partners to recruit and select the future tenants.

The McClintock team, having already renovated two historic properties (now McClintock Distilling and McClintock’s Back Bar), brings invaluable experience to the table, bolstering the community’s confidence in the project’s success and timeline.

Once complete, the food hall is set up to be much more than a culinary center. It will serve as a launchpad for small businesses and new restaurant concepts, and foster community engagement for residents of all age groups.