BWI's biggest airline announces new cabins, seats

Good morning, readers. It is Monday.

Punxsutawney Phil has predicted an early spring in one of America's strangest winter rituals. But take that prediction with a grain of soil. CBS writes that the groundhog has only been right 39% of the time since 1887.

That might be a good success rate in the batter's box, but it means little for whether Mother Nature will cooperate or not.

Now let's get to the news, which BBJ makes interesting 100% of the time.

Southwest Airlines announces new seats, cabin design

BWI Airport's largest carrier is getting a new look. Southwest Airlines announced Friday that it will be redesigning its cabin and seats for passengers in the coming months, along with other in-flight changes. The new seats, supplied by RECARO, will be embossed with the Southwest heart logo and have adjustable head rests and electronic device holders. The cabin upgrades, designed by Tangerine, will feature the airline's traditional blue themes and include the heart logo sewn into the carpets. The airline's more than 50,000 employees will also be getting new uniforms to match the refreshed look, and existing planes will get power ports and larger overhead storage bins. The new interior will be rolled out in early 2025, according to the announcement.

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Get to know these nine up-and-coming Black-owned businesses

Our readers love being introduced to little-known startups or small businesses who receive little ink elsewhere, BBJ Editor-in-Chief Joanna Sullivan writes this morning. That's why we've picked another group of Burgeoning Black-owned Businesses this year to once again coincide with Black History Month. We charged the staff with finding names you may not have heard before. The result is nine businesses with fascinating stories to tell, from ice cream shops to app builders to juice bars. Check out this landing page to track them as we release the profiles daily, and read about the first business our Morgan Simpson took a look at: Sydney’s Ice Creams on Baltimore's Belair Road.

Local all-woman financial firm gets investment from national company

A New Jersey investment advisory firm has continued its nationwide expansion with an investment in a Baltimore County firm, our Garrett Dvorkin reports. New Jersey-based Summit Financial Holdings has entered the Baltimore market through a partnership with Oracle Private Wealth Advisors, an all-woman firm with more than $300 million in assets under management. Summit, ranked a top 100 RIA firm by Forbes, is acquiring a minority share of Oracle, a nine-woman firm with five female advisors that was started by former Legg Mason executive Audrey Drossner. Read about the firm's mission and how the new partnership will help it expand its clientele.

Brandon Chasen, partners launch sales for new Florida condo project

Baltimore developer Brandon Chasen has branched into the South Florida market, our Melody Simmons and South Florida Business Journal's Brian Bandell report. Chasen and his partners are putting condos in his Glass House Boutique tower in Boca Raton up for sale, with prices ranging from $2.5 million to $6.9 million. The project in downtown Boca will total 28 units on 10 stories at 280 E. Palmetto Park Road. The property today holds a 9,696-square-foot bank building that Chasen acquired for $9.75 million in May. Read about the developer's push into Florida and further plans to expand into other states around the country.

Historic Baltimore market showcases renovations ahead of reopening

Hollins Market held an open house and hosted tours this weekend to showcase what to expect once the market reopens some time this year, the Banner reports. The $2.1 million redo of the nearly 200-year-old market’s infrastructure, signage and interior design kicked off in May and is aimed at bringing in new vendors and boosting traffic in the space. The organization overseeing Hollins Market and five other city markets also received $3 million through a federal grant in December, setting up the potential for similar projects in the future. Hollins Market is expected to reopen in the spring, per the Banner.

Mayor Scott releases plan to transform city procurement process

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott released a plan Friday to reform the city's procurement process, which expends almost $1 billion per year. The report lists 22 recommendations to standardize the city's systems at the Bureau of Procurement. The suggestions range from creating clearer lines between departments within the bureau to mandating agency-wide training plans. The report also suggests reforms to how contracts are handled and new organizational tactics to pay contractors and vendors on time. A key component of the report is the addition of new oversight to guarantee ethical practices. You can find the report here.

Virtual reality entertainment facility opens in Owings Mills

Gamers can dip into the virtual world at a new gaming spot in Owings Mills. WMAR reports that Zero Latency VR has opened at Owings Mills Metro Center, the first location in Maryland for the global brand which has other locations from Australia to Saudi Arabia. The franchise offers a variety of survival and combat games, including Far Cry VR, Outbreak, Singularity and Engineerium. If you've ever wanted to put on a headset and fend off some zombies, this is your lucky day.

Upper Shore Regional Council seeks business mentors

A planning and development group serving Cecil, Kent and Queen Anne's counties is looking for volunteers to help small businesses thrive. The Upper Shore Regional Council wants experienced business owners to help mentor and guide newer ones through challenges and opportunities through its Business Mentoring Program. Interested volunteers must be based in Cecil, Kent or Queen Anne’s County and have flexible schedules. Mentors will begin the program by drafting business plans with their mentees and can apply on the council's website.

Questions or comments about today's newsletter? Email BBJ Digital Producer Joe Ilardi at [email protected].