THE PARTY STOPS HERE
Hammerjacks- Selling a Legend
by Dariece Jones
I remember the night vividly, it was a Sunday in the fall of 1997 and I was one of many teenyboppers celebrating and lamenting the closing of Hammerjacks. The legendary club would be closing its doors to make way for new stadium parking for football fans. It would do wonders for the city, but would displace the many youngsters that lived for the Sunday night parties that catered to Baltimores energized youth. Here we are almost a decade later saying goodbye, once again to the legend that is Hammerjacks to make way for yet another new development that promises to take Baltimore to a higher socioeconomic level.
Lou Principio opened the night club in 1977 on Charles Street, soon moving to South Howard Street where rockers danced the night away at live concerts. During the 90s heavy metal bands, rap legends, and hip-hip artists performed for crowds of fans in the Baltimore area. In the fall of 1997, Principio sold the club, and in 2000 reopened it on Guilford Avenue. Though never regaining its dominative status as a live concert venue, the new Hammerjacks welcomed Baltimore club, rap, hip hop, and international partygoers with opened arms. Two years ago, Prinicipio called it quits again and Capital Venture Group owners Michael Hunter and Gavin Sharp acquired the Guilford edition of the club. The two men were the first and only African Americans to gain total proprietorship of the venue in its 30 year history.
We were looking at business opportunities which would allow us to operate from a proprietor point of view, beyond investing, said Hunter, who felt Hammerjacks was the perfect opportunity. It was, as Sharp added, A great opportunity for young African American males to see that you can own something in the city of Baltimore. Not only for the young people, but for the people that have been in the public arena for years. Though they wont disclose the exact number of partners, Hunter assures, It was 100 percent black owned, a rarity in the night club business in Baltimore.
Hunter and Sharp, both non-natives of Baltimore, hoped to maintain and expand upon Hammerjacks legendary status by catering to what Baltimore had become, a melting pot that you really dont see in Baltimore, Sharp declared, a crowd that loved music. A mixed crowd of Black, White, Asian, Spanish, it was there on that specific night. We called it our international night. That was Saturday night, a night where everyone could come to get wild, go crazy, and come home safe, revealed Hunter who says safety was a top priority. Especially with the younger crowd on special Sunday nights when school was out and Holidays, says Hunter who feels this crowd, viewed Hammerjacks as a rite of passage. A rite of passage Baltimoreans know all too well. You started your club life here and then graduated to the more upscale venues when you were old enough.
Though Capital Venture Group is proud of the acquisition of Hammerjacks, they revealed that this was just the beginning. Were young black professional businessmen seeking to get to the next level by doing whatever it takes. So selling the venue was naturally the next step for them and for Baltimore. Baltimoreans can expect a total revitalization of the Guilford area north of City Hall. RWN Development Group of D.C. and Bresler and Reiner, Inc. based in Rockville plan to build two towers, the tallest in the city, with condominiums, restaurants, and assisted living units.
Modest and confident Michael shared his companys vision of building a bigger black business community from within, by encouraging young, black entrepreneurs to think bigger in terms of their business ventures and communities. Although he asserts they have no plans to reopen Hammerjacks at this time. Gavin revealed that they still own the name, so maybe in a few years or so the legend will be unveiled once again, bigger, better, and bolder than before.
