8 things to know: M&T Bank brings back Spotlight Shop; SECU adds board member

Good morning, Baltimore.

Oh great, it's hot again. Tomorrow's National Weather Service forecast for Baltimore City calls for a high of 86 degrees and then, horribly, it's supposed to get even hotter on Friday, with a high of 91.

Now, there is a storm forecast to come in and bring temperatures back down to "manageable" for next week. But with the monthly calendar now firmly in June, I know it's time to make the necessary preparations to deal with what are only going to be worsening conditions in the coming months.

Anyway, I'm going to chill out here with you and this business news instead.

Former Five and Dime Ale House sells for $1.4 million

The former Five and Dime Ale House in Hampden has sold for $1.4 million to Jeremy Landsman, owner of Avenue Real Estate. The sale comes after the restaurant failed to bring to fill the space back to full capacity following the Covid-19 outbreak. It's the second piece of property on The Avenue Landsman has bought in the past two years, as he also purchased a portion of the main drag that includes the Golden West Cafe and Souvlaki restaurants for $1.94 million in 2021.

Amazon corporate workers stage walkout

Hundreds of corporate workers at Amazon's Seattle headquarters staged a walkout Wednesday to signal "a lack of trust" in the company's corporate leadership. According to CNN, organizers said the walkout was to express frustrations employees have on a number of fronts with the e-commerce giant, including the company's push to have workers in the office at least three days a week.

M&T Bank's 'Spotlight Shop' to come back to Baltimore

M&T Bank's "Spotlight Shop," a pop-up shop featuring various minority- and women-owned retailers, is returning to Baltimore for the summer. In a news release, M&T Bank said shops like Sweet Fortune's Unlimited and Kik Thunda Cosmetics will be featured at the pop-up shop inside the bank's Federal Hill branch. The bank is bringing back the "Spotlight Shop" after initially launching it in 2019 in a mobile retail kiosk along Pratt Street.

SECU appoints new board member

SECU, the Maryland's largest state-chartered credit union, appointed Dr. Gina McKnight-Smith as its newest member on its board of directors. In a news release, SECU officials wrote that McKnight-Smith comes with a extensive background in the health care industry, having most recently served as the associate director of medical payer strategies at AbbVie, a pharmaceutical company in Chicago.

FedEx pilots announce tentative agreement to finalize contract

Members of the FedEx Express unit of the Airline Pilots Association say they've reached a tentative agreement with their employer, averting a potential strike after workers overwhelmingly authorized the union tactic. John Klyce at the Memphis Business Journal has the breakdown on how pilots for the shipping company reached a deal with FedEx after initially spending months debating quality-of-life improvements and retirement.

Tito's Vodka to match donations to oyster growth program

Tito's Vodka will match up to $30,000 in donations to the Oyster Recovery Partnership through June 30 to support the goal of planting 6 million new oysters. Oyster reefs provide habitats and food for marine wildlife as well as filter pollution out of water. In 2022, the nonprofit put 950 million oysters back into the Chesapeake Bay and overall has planted more than 10 billion oysters to date.

Putnam Investments to be acquired by Franklin Templeton for nearly $1 billion

Putnam Investments will be acquired by Franklin Templeton for about $925 million after its parent company agreed to the sale. The Boston Business Journal reports that Franklin Resources, which does business as Franklin Templeton, will look to grow its presence in the retirement, insurance and wealth sectors in the coming years. San Mateo, California-based Franklin Templeton bought Baltimore-based Legg Mason in 2020 and still has an office in Harbor Point.

Baltimore city lawyers blocked arts organization from trademarking Artscape

The Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts (BOPA) was blocked by city lawyers from trademarking the annual Artscape festival. The Baltimore Banner's Emily Sullivan reported that acting City Solicitor Ebony Thompson said that the city's contracts department worked with an outside counsel to oppose the federal trade registration. BOPA is funded by the city but is run by a private board.