The iconic brand will open in a new Charm City location and help reintroduce live entertainment, beginning this football season.
The ownership group of Hammerjacks today announced the official return of the iconic entertainment destination. Construction has already begun on the new era for Hammerjacks in the form of a multipurpose outdoor venue focused on providing an extraordinary, yet affordable, tailgating experience. Up to 2,500 guests will be able to enjoy the new, permanent location at 1300 Russell Street which is near its original Howard Street location, and across the street from M&T Bank Stadium.
Much like the original venue, the new Hammerjacks is leaning into its surroundings, with a design that embraces the neighborhood’s industrial architecture. Hammerjacks will launch with an outdoor space, one featuring recycled shipping containers fashioned into food and beverage stations and capable of hosting everything from large-scale tailgates, live performances, and private events. The venue will open in time for the first Ravens home game in 2021.
“As we open this summer, Hammerjacks will initially focus on being an exceptional tailgate and outdoor private event venue. We will provide the premier location for Baltimore Ravens games, focusing on a fun, safe and convenient atmosphere for fans as they come out to support the team,” said Andy Hotchkiss, co-proprietor of Hammerjacks.
Co-proprietor, Mark Dinerstein continued, “We are thrilled to be bringing the legendary Hammerjacks brand back to life as a multi-purpose outdoor venue. At the same time, we are also re-imagining what the site can be in the future by incorporating the soul of Hammerjacks’ history as the complete party atmosphere.”
Led by a Maryland-based ownership and management group, the revival will honor Hammerjacks’ legendary past, while at the same time reimagining the future of entertainment in Baltimore and the greater Mid-Atlantic region. Dinerstein and Hotchkiss will lead efforts on behalf of ownership. Kevin Butler remains part of the ownership group.
Those attending events should expect a venue designed to provide fans with a unique environment, complete with bars, tailgate-style refreshments, and restrooms, along with huge screens to watch pregame shows or the entire game. Occasional tailgate concerts will bridge the content gap as well as stand-alone live entertainment events, outside of normal tailgate function. Tickets are on sale NOW through Hammerjacks.com.
About Hammerjacks:
Hammerjacks, a legendary Baltimore brand, was originally established in 1977, and reestablished in 2021 under new ownership. For 20 years, its reputation for showcasing regional and national musical talent propelled it to a strong national brand and was a beacon for live entertainment in the mid-Atlantic. The local and regional affinity for the brand continues to this day. Now located at 1300 Russell Street, the new Hammerjacks will operate with the same rock & roll attitude that fueled the original into entertainment history.
Hammerjacks first came to life as a gritty dive bar located in a converted rowhouse on Charles Street, where it thrived for five years before moving into a larger, 22,000-square-foot space on South Howard Street. It was at this site, a former brewery, that Hammerjacks would begin to build its storied legacy by playing host to everyone from Guns N’ Roses and Ozzy Osbourne to Iggy Pop and the Ramones. Joan Jett shot the video for “I Love Rock ‘n Roll” there. Iron Maiden featured the club on the cover of its 1986 album “Somewhere In Time.” John Waters filmed crucial scenes for his cult classic “Serial Mom” inside.
The Maryland Stadium Authority took ownership of the property in 1997, razing Hammerjacks to the ground in order to create a parking lot for the new Baltimore Ravens’ stadium. While the venue was briefly resurrected as a more DJ-oriented dance club a few years later on Guilford Avenue, it never managed to achieve the heights of its glory days, and, in 2006, Hammerjacks closed its doors.
For two decades, Hammerjacks lit up the night as the people’s club, a place that welcomed all and set the standard for good times in Charm City. Now, almost fifty years after first opening its doors, Hammerjacks is back and ready to raise the bar, inviting seasoned regulars and a whole new generation alike to join them in carrying on the legacy of a true Baltimore institution.
