First Glance: Hunting Ground in Hampden Bmore

Falls Road, Hampden Baltimore

local library branch

librarian in the setting sun

Enter the Hunting Ground

I said this shirt was awesome, to which Josh corrected: [it was] "More Than Awesome"

no question:  also More Than Awesome

choice pin

amongst a plate of cuties

proud owner of a new kitty pin

Nice. Display. Well. Done. Totally Jealous.

Friday night: an evening trip to Baltimore had us hopping around Hampden.  We visited our faves Atomic Books and Celebrated Summer Records, and were about to split when I remembered a new shop I spied the other week.  We jostled across Falls Road to check it out.

A new sign on an old church read "Hunting Ground".  No other advertisement or flashy eye-catching pictures, fliers, or decoration adorned the front.  The same trimmed hedges that cozily delineated the old church yard now welcome you to this space.  But what is it?

Alright, it's a store; I get that.  Two bodyforms in the entry show a simple sampling of wares: one for men and one for women.  Ok, a unisex clothing store.  I flipped the tag of the short-sleeved men's shirt: a rather plain button down spring/summer shirt; white with tasteful orange plaid lines.  It must have been new b/cs it was $50.  

Fifty dollars!  I've never paid $50 for a single shirt, so I thought, "Not my kind of place."  But we had meandered this far and Josh said, "Let's just check it out."  So I'll look with my eyes, I told myself.

Enter the Hunting Ground.  Menswear to the left, women's on the right, musical instruments and accessories in the back.  Huh.  Shoes and boots for the stylish.  Neat, retro signs and art in small doses.  A killer floor by the dressing room.  

Then on to looking with my hands.  And feet.  Their footwear selection was awesome, and by now I had noticed they carry new and used vintage wares (my faves!).  This wasn't a thrift store, so their curated vintage selection was priced as retail, of course.  I was tempted by an oversized black silk shirt with white birds, but I resisted.  Still, prices were reasonable.

While I was poking around I noticed a variety of cat-related items.  They were in different spots of the shop, so it didn't seem like a theme (there was a vest/shawl thing in the sweater section that appeared to be made from a throw -- like the kind you'd throw over your couch.  It was all-over cat print dedication.  Meow.), but after noticing a couple cat things, Josh located a plate of cat pins on the counter.  They were only a quarter a piece!  Good deal!  He now proudly wears our new friend on his chest.

To sum:  I'm glad we stopped in.  While I didn't get anything, I may have found another new fave in Hampden, a Baltimore hot spot that gets better with each new find (large multi-floor antique shop w/vintage clothing basement: check [Avenue Antiques], small quirky antique shop: check [Sturgis Antiques, for one], alternative bookstore and comic shop: check [Atomic], record store: check [CSR], sweet-ass brunch [french toast to die for!]: check [Golden West], and now the Hunting Ground.  Check, baby.  Hampden may be a growing den for hipsters, and old school local hons and local toughs, but I'd rather be hitting it up there than say, at da Towson Mall, any day. 

Kitty Pins Forever!!