Mark’s Score 8.5
I am all for anything that makes downtown more vibrant. I don’t think it any secret to say that Salisbury’s downtown was in serious need of a makeover. There has been some progress over the years. But there is always room for improvement. I had heard, a while back, that Brick Room was planning to expand into the old Together Café space next door. Frankly, I had forgotten all about it. But I was recently at the courthouse, and I noticed that the Brick Row Market had taken over the space.
Brick Row Market opened in 2025 as an extension of the Brick Room next door. Both businesses are owned by Alex Scott. Scott sees the Brick Row Market as part of the downtown revitalization. The concept behind Brick Row Market is a natural expansion of the Brick Room. The Brick Room is a nighttime cocktail lounge serving alcoholic drinks. Brick Row’s focus is on daytime activities in an upscale venue. The Brick Row Market is a hybrid café and market offering high-end coffee, made-to-order sandwiches, cheese, charcuterie, pastries, and bread.
I had no idea what to expect when I walked into Brick Row Market, neither Brick Room nor Brick Row Market have a website so I couldn’t do my usual homework before visiting. I knew that Brick Room had taken the space over, and I knew they were planning to expand. But that was all I knew.
Though there is a hallway connecting the two, the vibe at Brick Row is very different than the Brick Room. The Brick Room has a cozy, if somewhat dark, neighborhood bar vibe, lots of brick and wood. Brick Row has a more modern urban vibe. A lot of chrome, bright murals on the walls, black tables, and lightwood floors. What is more, it is not just a sandwich shop, they are also a market offering high-end food items.
I just came in for a sandwich, but I spent a bit of time at the charcuterie counter. I am delighted to find a place in Salisbury where I can buy deli meats and cheese without a Boar’s Head label. This isn’t mass market deli meats and cheeses; this is the real deal. Though the selection is small, for the first time in Salisbury, you can buy authentic charcuterie and cheese in Salisbury.
The menu selection is also small, there were only about a half dozen items. But they had a club, which is my go to sandwich. I am not going to claim it was the best club sandwich I had ever had. But the bread was tasty, the lettuce crisp, the tomatoes were fresh. The ham and turkey were several steps above what you would get at the deli counter at the grocery store.
I went in without any preconceived notions or expectations. But Scott’s stated mission was to participate in the revitalization of downtown. Given there was a lively trade the day I was there, I would say he achieved his goal.
What else is there to do in Salisbury?
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