Chicken Box--SNAE Homebase

Chicken Box

1 W North Ave.

Baltimore, MD 21201

TIMELINE:

1914: The spot where Chicken Box is now located was a drug store surrounded by several rowhouses within the area

1940: Building was most likely a bar due to the “bar” sign on the building

1952: The bar was gone and had been replaced with something adjacent to the Parkway Theatre

Between 1940-2008: The building then become known as White Tower which was a diner restaurant/ fast food place which was a spin off from White Castle. The building later became known as New York Fried Chicken

Recent History

2008: The City of Baltimore used eminent domain to obtain the building for economic development purposes. The owners of New York Fried Chicken were given funds in 2008 so that they could purchase a building elsewhere in Baltimore where they could continue their operation

2012: Station North Arts & Entertainment officials began to discuss with the city to use the space temporarily while Maryland Firm Festival and their partners began to raise money in order to renovate the building along with the adjacent Parkway Theatre

2013: SNAE moved its offices to the ground level storefront located at the corner of North Avenue and Charles Street. This added a much needed usable performance and gallery space to Station North.

CONTACTS:

Present: Ben Stone—Executive Director ben.stone@stationnorth.org (410-962-7075)

The Story of Chicken Box

At the corner of North Avenue and Charles Street, sits SNAE home base. The SNEA home base is a performance space along with gallery space that has added to the vibrancy to the area of Station North. While the history of the area that is now known as Chicken Box has been hard to track down there is still some colorful history surrounding the area. Some of which might help explain why the SNEA home base still has the word “chicken” has its main header.

In 1914 the spot that now hosts the Chicken Box is listed on a Sanborn (fire and insurance) map as a drug store. From looking at a map, one can tell that the drug store was built specifically to serve the locals living in the rowhomes in the surrounding area. In the 1940s, the building has a sign designating it as a bar. In 1952, the building had changed hands again. According to a map of the city around that time has the location listed as a restaurant adjacent to the Parkway Theatre.

 

Sometime between 1952 and 2008, the “bar” went through several different handlers. In between these years the bar became known as White Tower. White Tower which was a diner restaurant and fast food place. White Tower was a spinoff of White Castle. After a few years, White Tower went out of business and New York Fried Chicken took hold of the space. New York Fried Chicken stayed in that location until 2008.

In 2008, the city of Baltimore wanted to attain the space for development purposes. The city gave New York Fried Chicken money in order to relocate somewhere in east Baltimore where they could continue their operation. In 2012 Station North representatives began to discuss using the space with the city while other partners began doing fundraising in order to bring money in. Officials used Kickstar in order to raise $10,000 in order to renovate the space in order to tailor it for into office, theater, & gallery space. In spring 2013, SNEA moved its home base. The exhibitions in this space have brought many people to the storefront and as a result has helped increased activity along Charles Street and North Avenue business owners.  The local Annex Theater also shares the space with SNAE.

The Chicken Box has been an important business on the corner of North and Charles for over a century, and, as part of the Parkway Theater rehabilitation it holds the promise of a revitalized future for the area.