Cross Keys Completes Food & Beverage Leasing & Adds Modern General Store

JULY 24, 2024 – BALTIMORE – Caves Valley Partners announced today that it has signed leases with Sol Oaxaca, a family-oriented Mexican restaurant, and Ruxton Mercantile, a modern general store featuring a collection of upscale offerings, as it continues to create a compelling array of retail, food and beverage, and service offerings at The Village of Cross Keys.

“Sol Oaxaca is the final piece of the vision to make Cross Keys a dynamic dining destination, with a wide range of food and beverage offerings, for almost any occasion, and at a variety of price points,” said Arsh Mirmiran, the partner at Caves Valley Partners leading the development of Cross Keys.  “They will join six other concepts and will, more than ever, make Cross Keys a go-to destination for area residents and businesspeople.”

Now Open

  • Ice Cream – Always Ice Cream Company
  • Fine Dining – Cece’s Roland Park
  • Breakfast, Brunch & Lunch – Easy Like Sunday

Opening Soon

  • Italian – ZaVino Italian Marketplace (August 2024)
  • Coffee, Bakery & Café – Kneads Bakeshop (fall 2024)
  • Chinese – Atlas Restaurant Group (winter 2025)
  • Mexican – Sol Oaxaca (spring 2025)

Sol Oaxaca

Sol Oaxaca (named after the sunny southern Mexican state and pronounced wah-ha-kah) Mexican restaurant will be located in an expanded 3,800 square foot space that formerly housed Donna’s Café.  The restaurant will feature vaulted ceilings and ample natural light inside as well as a 3,000+ square foot outdoor patio.  The menu will offer traditional family recipes with a modern twist, crafted with locally sourced ingredients.  A seasonally curated beverage selection featuring a variety of Mexican and craft beers, margaritas, artisanal cocktails, and a large selection of fine tequilas will complement the dynamic Mexican cuisine.

“We’re excited to open at Cross Keys and look forward to our vibrant authenticity establishing Sol Oaxaca as an esteemed member of the community,” said Sol Oaxaca co-founding partner Tom Doxanas.  “Caves Valley’s vision combined with the heritage location and the void in upscale Mexican food offerings in the immediate area made Cross Keys the perfect location for our next restaurant.”

The Sol Oaxaca menu will be tailored to the local area and will appeal to those seeking a vibrant, flavor-driven dining experience.  Sol Oaxaca’s leadership brings over 50 years of combined hospitality experience in the food service industry and continues to be inspired by their recently deceased founder Reynaldo Villatoro, the “Heart and Sol” of Sol Oaxaca.  Sol Oaxaca can be found on Instagram at @soloaxaca.

Ruxton Mercantile

Ruxton Mercantile, a modern general store, will open in nearly 1,600 square feet in the early fall of this year and will feature a broad range of quality goods to elevate everyday living, including housewares, accessories, men’s and women’s apparel, gifts, and apothecary and wellness products.   The store will be located in one of the newly created retail suites along the east breezeway, across from Cece’s Roland Park.  Ruxton Mercantile can be found on Instagram at @ruxton_mercantile and at the original location in the heart of Ruxton.

“I started Ruxton Mercantile in 2018 with the simple idea of bringing the best to our customers, and since Cross Keys is in the process of returning as Baltimore’s best shopping and dining location, it just made sense,” said Founder Caitlin Gibson.  “Our team members put love and careful thought into all that we do so that customers can enjoy the shopping experience and everything the store has to offer.”

“Ruxton Mercantile will fulfill an important niche at Cross Keys,” said Mirmiran.  “Caitlin’s product range, local knowledge and relationships, and customer service philosophy will further our vision of offering an upscale and unique mix of local and national retailers.”

Other Upcoming Openings

  • Bluemercury – late summer
  • Ruxton Mercantile – early fall
  • California Closets – early fall

About the Village of Cross Keys

Cross Keys was originally developed in 1965 by Jim Rouse, the visionary founder of The Rouse Company.  The property was acquired by Baltimore-based Caves Valley Partners in 2020 and is actively undergoing a comprehensive redevelopment, including the completed renovation of Village Square and the ongoing construction of two new restaurant pads, which are nearing completion.  The fully completed development will include the addition of nearly 350 apartments, as well as a future office building.  For more information, please visit crosskeysbaltimore.com