Mount Vernon’s Baby’s On Fire to close after decade on Morton Street

Mount Vernon is losing one of its most familiar gathering spots: Baby’s On Fire, the coffee shop and record store at 1010 Morton Street, will close permanently on July 20, with its last day of service set for Sunday, July 19. After 10 years on the block, the shop is disappearing from a stretch of Morton Street that has depended on a mix of apartments, cultural venues and small businesses to keep people walking, talking and lingering.

David and Shirlé Koslowski built Baby’s On Fire around locally roasted Open Seas Coffee, breakfast and lunch all day, and a rotating selection of new and used vinyl. The shop opened June 10, 2016, and its blend of café counter, music store and casual hangout gave Mount Vernon something rare: a place where a quick coffee could turn into a record dig, a meal or an unplanned conversation. The Koslowskis have long ties to Baltimore’s post-punk music scene and have played in bands including Liquor Bike, WOD, Gerty and Vivid Low Sky.

The business said it was closing after significant losses in revenue tied to the economic downturn. Baby’s On Fire stayed open through the pandemic and even added outdoor seating in the bed of Morton Street, a reminder of how much effort went into keeping the shop viable as the city’s hospitality businesses battled changing traffic patterns, higher costs and slower spending. The loss is especially sharp in Mount Vernon because Baby’s On Fire helped fill the gap after Eddie’s of Mount Vernon closed in June 2023, drawing foot traffic and giving residents another reason to stay on the block.

Eddie’s closure left a void that city leaders and neighborhood advocates had already been trying to address. The State of Maryland allocated $286,000 in February 2024 to help a new operator reopen the grocery store, but by January 2025 the planned reopening was no longer moving forward and a search for another operator was underway. Baby’s On Fire’s exit now adds another empty storefront risk to a commercial corridor that has already been under strain.

The closing also carries a labor note. A fundraiser for staff said owners informed workers on Monday, July 10, after weeks of silence about a request for voluntary recognition of the Baby’s On Fire staff union. In the owners’ message to customers, they thanked the community and staff for their support and urged people to stop in one last time before the doors shut for good.