Artist Café Open Where Six Mile Coffee Once Was

It was a good sign at on Monday afternoon when some new customers walked in on the coffee shop's first day.

That's despite the fact that 609 Frederick Road used to be the site of . After opening last October, the store closed in . Owner Chris Sikora said the foot traffic was not nearly enough to keep the shop open. The store did have a loyal following, with an active Facebook page and a popular night.

New owners Debbie Ford and partner Andy Richardson hope they can capture more customers through more events and better customer service. Ford, Richardson and other staff were busy on the store's first day open for business, making coffee and sandwiches for customers.

In fact, the first customer through the door at 7:30 a.m. Monday was brand new. But some loyal customers were also back in the door, including Matt Smith with , which is right across the street. 

The staff used to hold office meetings at the shop and also make coffee runs there regularly.

"Everybody was really excited when they heard it was going to open up again," Smith said.

New customers Sheela Lal and Joan Lal were two new customers. Sheela knew about Six Mile, but had never been in the old location. The two women said they would definitely come back.

"It's so nice in here, you feel like you're coming into someone's home," Joan said.

In fact, much of the interior is the same, but Ford and her family have added a few more decorations and lighting. Some of the artwork is the same, but a few more are new.

The past few months have felt like nonstop work for Ford, Richardson and Ford's son. But when she opened on Monday it was all worth it. A longtime Catonsville resident and an artist, Ford has never run a coffee shop or restaurant before.

The staff hopes to bring back the popular Open Mic nights as well as utitilize the for art classes and gatherings.

Ford said she has been overwhelmed with the support she has received from the community, many of whom are glad to see it open again.

"I am beyond delighted and grateful," she said. "I think the fact that it was a coffee shop before and people saw it go away and come back is why they are so attached to it."

Artist Cafe will soon have a website and Facebook page. Their hours are 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week. The phone number is 410-744-7771.