Eddie Brooks sold his colorful array of baseball hats, sweaters, pennants and sunglasses during Orioles FanFest at the corner of Camden and Eutaw streets, an area off-limits to vendors during games the past two years.
The event Saturday wasn't an actual contest, so Brooks was able to sell at a spot that will be closed to vendors again come today's Orioles season opener against the Tampa Bay Rays.
The event provided Brooks a brief flashback to the good old days. "If you came to a game in 2003 or 2004, everything was set up. All up and down Camden Street, people were selling pizza, there were umpteenths million hat stands. It was vendors everywhere," he said. "But where they all at now?"
At least a half-dozen vendors have closed up shop for good, according to Brooks, while the ones who have stayed continue to complain of drastic cuts in profits.
Since Opening Day 2006, the city Transportation Department has prohibited vendors from setting up in front of the main entrance to Camden Yards on Eutaw Street because of construction of the city-owned Hilton Hotel.
Vending is also no longer allowed on Camden Street between Paca and Howard streets. About 30 vendors were affected by the move, which transportation officials said was made as a safety precaution.
With the hotel set to open in August, vendors are not optimistic that they will be allowed to return to their previous prime real estate along Eutaw Street.
Joe Markiewicz has sold baseball cards, sodas and water at Oriole Park since 2000. He says that since he was forced to move from the corner of Camden and Eutaw streets, he has lost 70 percent of his business in each of the past two seasons.
Markiewicz now sells on the corner of Pratt and Howard streets, where he says the foot traffic is a fraction of what it used to be at his former spot.
"The whole year, I barely made $3,000," Markiewicz said. "I'm down to $40, $50 a game. Some games I lose money."
Other vendors have relocated to the plaza area on the corner of Paca Street and Washington Boulevard, the opposite direction for fans who walk from Harborplace to the stadium.
Markiewicz said vendors experienced similar relocations during construction work on the Sports Legends Museum along Camden and Howard streets. The museum opened in May 2005.
"Then they allowed us to come back," Markiewicz said. "With the hotel, I'm hearing they're not going to let us go back over there. I'm really about to give it up."
