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Polock Johnny's stall at Lexington Market to close before year's end

Diane Wilkins, owner of Polock Johnny's in Lexington Market, is shown in December 2010 photograph. Representatives from the Orioles and Delaware North Companies (DNC) Sportservice had stopped by her stall as part of a city-wide search for new Camden Yards vendors.
Diane Wilkins, owner of Polock Johnny's in Lexington Market, is shown in December 2010 photograph. Representatives from the Orioles and Delaware North Companies (DNC) Sportservice had stopped by her stall as part of a city-wide search for new Camden Yards vendors. (Baltimore Sun photo/Kim Hairston)

The owner of the Polock Johnny's stall at Lexington Market says she will close the business before the end of the year.

The stall's owner gave her Saturday morning customers a simple reason for closing up. "There's no money coming in," said the woman, who would not give her name, but seemed surprised that word had gotten out about the closing. Previous Sun articles and photographs have identified the owner as Diane Wilkins.

Sausage news travels fast. Tamar Fleishman, a Baltimore food and restaurant blogger, got the news from her husband, who heard it straight from the stall's staff on his annual Friday-before-Christmas visit to Polock Johnny's with his father and uncles.

John Foster, who was waiting for a Muffinski breakfast sandwich, said he was sorry to hear about Polock Johnny's leaving. "I used to go to the one on Old Town Mall," Foster said. He had only recently been reunited with the Muffinski when he started working at the Perfect Gentleman II, a nearby barbershop.

Polock Johnny's were once widespead, but the Lexington Market closing leaves Baltimore with only two fixed Polock Johnny locations, both in Morrell Park, one on Washington Boulevard and another in at Security Square Mall. Polock Johnny's stalls were added to Camden Yards in 2011 as part of an overhaul of stadium vendors. 

Polock Johnny's opened at Lexington Market in 1968, according to an illustrated history of the family on display at the back of the stall. Along with Faidley Seafood, Mary Mervis and Park's Fried Chicken, Polock Johnny's was one of the best known lunch stops in the historic market.

The owner told customers that she was planning to relocate the business but declined to give out details in the presence of a reporter. "I'm not out of here yet," said Wilkins.

The market's management was not available for comment.

The owner of the Polock Johnny's stall at Lexington Market will close the business before the end of the year.

 

The stall's owner, Diane Wilkins, gave a simple reason for closing up at Lexington Market --"There's no money coming in." Wilkins told a customer, John Foster, that she was planning to relocate the business but declined to give out details in the presence of a reporter. "I'm not out of here yet," said Wilkins, who seemed surprised that word had gotten out about the closing.

Foster, who was waiting for Wilkins to make him a Muffinski breakfast sandwich, said he was sorry to hear about Polock Johnny's leaving. "I used to go to the one on Old Town Mall," Foster said. He had only recently been reunited with the Muffinski when he started working at the Perfect Gentleman II, a nearby barbershop.

The area's two remaining Polock Johnny stores are both in Morrell Park, one on Washington Boulevard and another in at Security Square Mall. Polock Johnny's opened at Lexington Market in 1968, according to an illustrative history of the family on display at the back of the stall.

 

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