Phoenix Emporium Closing, Owner Buying Ellicott Mills Brewing Co.

ELLICOTT CITY, MD — The owner of the Phoenix Emporium bar and restaurant in Ellicott City recently announced on Facebook that he would be selling his leasehold interest in the Phoenix effective April 1 and March 31 will be the restaurant's last day of operation.

While patrons at first were incredibly upset, they were thrilled when they learned that Mark Hemmis would be purchasing Ellicott Mills Brewing Company when current longtime chef and owner Richard Winter retires. Hemmis shared that co-owner Timothy Kendzierski and the management team of Dwayne Bouvere, Carrie Foley and Jamie Voss would stay on staff as the two iconic Ellicott City businesses merge in some manner.

"Effective Jan. 1, the Phoenix will be operating both locations. The Phoenix will operate as normal through March 31. Ellicott Mills Brewing Company will operate as normal as we figure out our next steps together. We are eternally grateful for the support of our community and are overjoyed with the opportunity to remain a part of Ellicott City’s resurgence," Hemmis wrote on Facebook.

Hemmis shared how thrilled he truly is to remain an integral part of Ellicott City's food and entertainment scene. He was hired in 1997 as a bar manager at Ellicott Mills Brewing Company and his first hire was a "gorgeous waitress who is now my wife of 20 years and mother of my two sons.

"I stayed at Ellicott Mills for two years before venturing off to try my hand at other opportunities. When it was time to purchase my own restaurant, I could think of nowhere better than Ellicott City. I purchased the Phoenix in October of 2001 at 29 years old. Owning the Phoenix has defined my professional career. I love Ellicott City and cannot fathom the possibility of the Phoenix not being on Main Street. The floods of 2016 and 2018 have taken a financial, physical and emotional toll on my family, our staff and all of our families, friends and community that we continue to process to this very day. But we do not stop," Hemmis shared.

Howard County officials continue to work toward acquiring the building at 8049 Main Street in Ellicott City as part of the Ellicott City safe and sound plan. Howard County officials needed to acquire 10 properties on lower Main Street before it could execute its flood mitigation plan.

To date, Howard County has acquired nine of the 10 buildings it planned to purchase on lower Main Street, according to a statement released by the county. Six of these buildings will now have portions preserved. The next step is partial removal of the sections of the buildings over the stream channel. To complete this and subsequent renovation of these buildings, the county needs to undergo a federal Section 106 process to assess the historical impacts.

Under the plan to ease future flooding, the county will raze four buildings — Phoenix Emporium, Great Panes Art Glass Studio, Discoveries and Bean Hollow — and tear down back portions of another six on Main Street in the historic district.