Presence

This just in: an anonymous source is reporting that Cafe 921 has closed, permanently. At this point we're still treating this as rumor, but if anyone has any information, please let us know. We'll update as we learn more.

Update: It definitely looks as if there is some substance to the rumors; calls to Cafe 921 continue to go unanswered. I'm going to do a little reconnoitering at lunch time to confirm.

What did 921 in? The food, overall, was good, the place clean. Despite the somewhat confusing process of getting your food and paying for it, there weren't any major problems with the place. Every time I went in, the place was busy, so it wasn't for lack of customers.

Two factors, I think, contributed to 921's closing. The first, and most obvious, was the rent. The last few times I was in there, the air conditioning was all but off, indicating they were attempting to cut back on overhead.

The other factor, which is a bit more speculative, was the clientele. Clearly, 921 was the place to be on Saturday night if you were under the age of 20. While on a typical Saturday night it was often difficult to get a table, the majority of those taking up space were not buying food. Many of the teenagers came to hang out, but not to eat, which took up space and likely drove away older and hungrier customers. I recall often seeing the owner making rounds asking kids to leave if they weren't eating anything. I'm not sure how much of an affect this had on the business, but if the owner is out there, you'd think it was significant. I suggested to 921 that they offer something like a nacho-chip w/ cheese platter, something that a group of people could share, but, alas, my suggestions fell on deaf ears.

So on behalf of everyone here at Presence, and the Baltimore community, I'd like to wish the folks from 921 the best of luck, and hope they find themselves back on their feet with another venture soon (hint, hint: Mexican food). In the mean time, let's have a moment of silence for the pea soup, the quesodillas and that salad dressing with the poppy seeds in it.

As for the effect 921's closing will have on the other kosher eating establishments, let's just say I'll bet Mr. Goldberg's Bagels is either really happy or really nervous right now, and probably both.