The Untold Story Of Parts & Labor Baltimore: Why Spike Gjerde’s Iconic Butchery Closed And What’s There Now (2025 Update)
The legacy of Parts & Labor in Baltimore's Remington neighborhood remains a fascinating chapter in the city’s culinary history, even years after its closure. This unique establishment, which combined a high-end butchery with a meat-focused restaurant, was a cornerstone of James Beard Award-winning Chef Spike Gjerde’s Foodshed group. The concept was ambitious, celebrating whole-animal butchery and local sourcing, but ultimately, the financial realities of such a niche model led to its demise. As of December 24, 2025, the building has taken on a new life, a testament to the ever-evolving nature of Baltimore's dining scene.
Opened to critical acclaim, Parts & Labor was more than just a restaurant; it was a statement about sustainable, hyper-local dining. Its short but impactful five-year run cemented its place as a groundbreaking venture, but its unique operational model—processing meat on-site—proved to be a significant challenge. Understanding the full story requires a look back at the vision, the struggles, and the ultimate fate of the iconic North Howard Street building.
The Rise and Fall of a Remington Icon: Parts & Labor Biography
Parts & Labor was the brainchild of Spike Gjerde and his team, including business partner Corey Polyoka and butcher George Marsh. Gjerde, the only Baltimore-based chef to win a James Beard Award for Best Mid-Atlantic Chef (for his flagship restaurant, Woodberry Kitchen), was the driving force behind the Foodshed group, an organization committed to a strictly local, Chesapeake-centric food supply chain. The concept was a direct extension of this philosophy, bringing whole-animal butchery to the forefront of the dining experience.
- Name: Parts & Labor (often stylized as Parts & Labour or Parts & Labor)
- Location: 2600 N. Howard St., Remington, Baltimore, MD 21218
- Owners/Key Figures: Spike Gjerde, Amy Gjerde, Corey Polyoka, George Marsh (butcher)
- Concept: Meat-focused restaurant, bar, and full-service butchery specializing in whole-animal processing and local sourcing.
- Original Building Use: Former tire repair shop and car storage operation.
- Opening Date: 2013
- Official Restaurant Closing Date: August 5, 2018
- Bar Closure: The bar remained open for approximately two months after the restaurant closed.
- Legacy: Pioneering whole-animal butchery in Baltimore; critically acclaimed but financially challenging.
The Ambitious Concept: Butchery, Fire Pit, and Critical Acclaim
Parts & Labor was a truly unique dining destination, blending an industrial aesthetic with a rustic, primal culinary focus. The restaurant was situated in a sprawling, converted industrial space in the burgeoning Remington neighborhood, a move that helped anchor the area's revival.
The core of its operation was the on-site butchery. Unlike most restaurants that purchase pre-cut meats, Parts & Labor sourced whole animals—lamb, hogs, and cattle—from local farms and processed them entirely in-house. This dedication to whole-animal utilization was both its greatest strength and a significant logistical hurdle. The menu reflected this commitment, often featuring inventive, meat-centric dishes and sandwiches, such as a tempting pork chop on a pretzel bun and robustly flavorful culotte steak.
The atmosphere was a major draw. Diners enjoyed a terrific ambiance that included a popular outdoor fire pit, contributing to a unique, communal dining experience. The butchery section was open daily, allowing customers to purchase high-quality, locally sourced meats and cheeses directly, further cementing its role as a neighborhood hub.
Despite the critical acclaim and the buzz generated by its innovative approach, the restaurant faced operational challenges. The service style, which involved serving dishes "as they're cooked" rather than in traditional courses, sometimes drew mixed reviews from diners accustomed to a more conventional pace.
Why the Doors Closed: Financial Challenges and the End of an Era
The news of Parts & Labor's closure in 2018 sent ripples through the Baltimore food community. The restaurant portion officially served its last dinner on August 5, 2018, marking the end of its five-year run.
The primary reason for the closure, according to Spike Gjerde, was the difficulty in maintaining the financial viability of the unique model. Gjerde admitted that the closing "was a long time coming," suggesting that the restaurant had been struggling to be profitable despite its popularity and critical praise.
Key factors contributing to the closure of the restaurant and butchery included:
- The Cost of Whole-Animal Butchery: The unique practice of sourcing and processing whole animals locally, while philosophically admirable, introduced significant operational complexity and cost overhead that proved difficult to sustain.
- Profitability Struggles: The restaurant had reportedly changed menus and concepts in a continuous effort to boost profits, indicating an underlying financial instability.
- The Evolving Foodshed Group: The closure was part of a broader period of change for Gjerde’s Foodshed group, which also saw the later closure of other establishments like Shoo-Fly Diner.
Following the restaurant's final service, the bar remained open for two additional months while Gjerde and the bar manager explored the possibility of a future bar-only concept. However, the full operation eventually ceased, leaving the iconic building empty and awaiting a new tenant.
The Parts & Labor Building Today: A New Culinary Chapter
The physical space at 2600 N. Howard St. has a history of hosting ambitious culinary projects, and its story didn't end with Parts & Labor. The building’s post-Gjerde life has seen a few transitions, reflecting the high demand for space in the vibrant Remington area:
- JBGB’s (John Brown’s): After Parts & Labor, the building housed JBGB’s, a concept from the team behind the popular R. House food hall. This establishment eventually closed as well.
- Café Dear Leon Expansion: In a very recent and exciting development, the building has been acquired by a new tenant. Café Dear Leon, a highly popular Baltimore bakery known for its croissants and pastries, is expanding into the large Remington space. This move will provide the bakery with much-needed room to grow its operation.
The transformation from a car shop to a pioneering butchery and now to an expanding, beloved bakery symbolizes the dynamic and resilient nature of Baltimore's food scene. While Parts & Labor is a cherished memory, the building continues its legacy as a home for innovative and essential local culinary businesses.
Topical Authority Entities & Related Keywords:
Spike Gjerde, Woodberry Kitchen, Foodshed group, Corey Polyoka, George Marsh, Remington Baltimore, whole-animal butchery, local sourcing, Baltimore food scene, James Beard Award, North Howard Street, Shoo-Fly Diner, JBGB’s, R. House, Café Dear Leon, Baltimore Magazine, culotte steak, pretzel bun sandwich, whole-hog processing, industrial aesthetic, Baltimore restaurants closed.
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