Chopped Broadway Bodega & Deli recently made history as the first Black and woman-owned bodega in Fells Point, delivering the taste of a classic New York bodega to Baltimore.
Ernestine Chambers and fellow co-owner Naté Gordon cut the ribbon on their new business on May 2 and since then, people have been queuing to get a taste of their NYC-style chopped sandwiches.
According to the two founders, each item on the menu “blends the bold, bussin’ flavors of a classic New York bodega with a splash of Baltimore pride,” CBS News reported.
“We had this opportunity to make history today and also put a store with fresh food in Fells Point,” Chambers said.
Chopped Broadway serves New York staples like chopped cheese and bacon, cheese sandwiches, eggs, crisp veggies, and rich sauces.
“So we have a little bit of everything for everybody,” Gordon explained to CBS. “We have huge, ginormous hoagies, New York style— they are all chopped fresh. We have the godfather, which is our number one seller. It is our spin on the Italian.”
“More importantly, we have an organic section as well as a vegan sandwich because most of the time when you come into a convenience store, you rarely see healthy choices or options, so we have a non-GMO section and gluten-free options,” Chambers explained.
Chamber’s business partner, Gordon, is from Brooklyn. The two planned to bring the bodega flavor and style to Baltimore.
“Bodegas are the life of the community. From your essential needs to affordable meals. Bodegas feel like at home. It’s like you walk in and you know their name. We needed it in Baltimore,” Chambers said.
Gordon and Chambers took a chance and started their new establishment with their life savings. The two transformed a former convenience store into Fells Point’s first Black and woman-owned bodega.
“Growing up without, there is a hidden fear of going back to poverty when you make it out of poverty. It’s like when you see your bank account going down, you’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, we’re gonna lose everything.’ If we didn’t succeed, if everything didn’t work out, I know that we purchased our time to give back to a community that really needed it,” Chambers said to WMAR.
Research cited by Travel Noire shows that black women own approximately 14.8% of all women-owned businesses and 52.1% of all Black-owned businesses in the United States.
In Maryland, 19.3% of all businesses are Black-owned, with women owning approximately 44.6% of businesses in the state.
“That’s what Chopped is about: food, culture, and opportunity,” Chambers said.
