Rose’s Bakery (1978 - present) 2101 E. Monument Street

In 1978, James Bowen (Lumbee) and his wife, Rosalie Bowen nee Machlinski (Polish), opened a bakery in Baltimore’s Northeast Market (2101 E. Monument Street, Chester Street door).[1] Widely known throughout the Lumbee community and well beyond, Rose’s has been in business ever since.

James and Rose’s daughter, Rosie Bowen (Lumbee), currently runs the bakery. In addition to cakes, pies, and pastries, Rosie offers traditional Lumbee foods for sale, and to share, at different times throughout the year. Rosie regularly travels to Lumbee tribal territory in North Carolina and returns to Baltimore with traditional ingredients like sweet potatoes, pecans, and cornmeal.[2] In 2019, she was recognized by the State of Maryland with a Maryland Traditions apprenticeship grant to teach her daughter, Adriana Bowen-Herrera (Lumbee and Mexican), to make chicken and pastry, a traditional Lumbee dish.[3] Rose’s Bakery remains open and is still heavily patronized by the Lumbee community today. It is not uncommon to find elder members of the community socializing there from time to time.

1. Personal communication with Rosie Bowen, August 8, 2019.

2. See Tkacik, Christina “A Taste of Home,” Baltimore Sun (Baltimore, MD), November 16, 2016.

3. See National Council for the Traditional Arts, “Rosie Bowen and Adriana Bowen-Herrera – Lumbee chicken and pastry,” YouTube Video, September 13, 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kS91Cse9U9g&t=27s