May 14, 2025

Gotta Have Heart Studios Chooses Park Plaza For Inaugural Location In Greater Baltimore Area

BALTIMORE, MD (May 14, 2025) – Gotta Have Heart Studios, a concept that provides diverse arts programming for youngsters, adults, senior citizens, and local businesses, has selected Park Plaza in Severna Park as the site for its inaugural location in the greater Baltimore metropolitan area. Owners Jennifer and Scott MacRobbie signed a lease with Continental Realty Corporation (CRC) for 1,600 square feet of space and intend to open this summer at the shopping center located at 550 Ritchie Highway. Dominique Threatt, Senior Commercial Leasing Associate of CRC represented the landlord, and Todd Malamut of NREB, LLC represented the tenant in this transaction.

Jennifer MacRobbie, who taught art for the Archdiocese of Baltimore for more than two decades, together with her sister Christine Martel, will run the day-to-day operations of the studio. Programming will include “Mommie and Me” classes for children between three and five years of age. Gotta Have Heart Studios will also offer classes for seniors, art instruction for home-schooled children, children’s birthday parties and adult art parties and paint nights. The space can also be used for corporate team-building events.

With the opening scheduled for June, MacRobbie indicated that Gotta Have Heart Studios will initially target youngsters attending day camps in the greater Anne Arundel County region.

“It has always been my dream to open my own arts studio and generate an atmosphere that allows people to create whatever they wanted and made them happy,” McRobbie said. “The studio will be stocked with every piece of equipment needed for different forms of art including a kiln to create ceramics. I live in a nearby neighborhood and shop at Park Plaza often, so there was never a question regarding where I wanted to open my studio. It is highly-trafficked with an impressive volume of people flowing into the center regularly. This is the perfect spot for us.”

Park Plaza is a 183,380 square foot neighborhood shopping center on Ritchie Highway near Robinson Road. Anchored by Planet Fitness and Five Below, it features 55 tenants, including restaurants, medical offices, professional services, financial services, sports and fitness retailers. MOM’s Organic Market is expected to open within a 12,000 square foot space at the shopping center in Q4 2025.

More than 52,000 vehicles pass Park Plaza daily via Ritchie Highway. The Prime IV Hydration & Wellness lease elevates occupancy of the center to approximately 95 percent.

“Kid-focused retailers and entertainment thrive in neighborhood shopping centers, drawing families and creating a unique customer base that benefits the entire tenant mix,” said Kristina O’Keefe, Vice President of CRC’s Commercial Division. “Locally-owned, entrepreneurial-driven concepts like Gotta Have Heart Studios bring vitality and energy to retail spaces, creating an exciting destination for the community to shop and enjoy”

Headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland and founded in 1960, Continental Realty Corporation is a full-service commercial real estate and investment company focused on acquiring and operating retail and multifamily properties. The privately held firm owns and manages a diversified portfolio of retail centers consisting of over eight million square feet of commercial space and more than 10,000 apartment homes across 13 states, with a portfolio value exceeding $4 billion. For additional information, visit www.crcrealty.com.