Then it Clicked
Shawn Chopra & Anne Morgan

Words Allison Reiber DiLiegro Images Michal Rzepecki

After years of doing what was “right,” Shawn Chopra found that things tend to fall into place when you follow your passion.

Shawn, the creative force behind Baltimore’s beloved guesthouse by good neighbor, always had an eye for design. As a child, he renovated homes with his father—who immigrated to Canada from India—and loved the process, often showing up at school with paint on his hands. But, “as children of immigrants often do,” he says, he decided to follow a stable, respectable career path and study healthcare. On his first day of university, he met Anne Morgan—the daughter of Egyptian immigrants and now his wife.

In 2019, Shawn took the leap and opened good neighbor—a design store and community café that brings curated global brands to Baltimore and highlights local makers.

And the doors opened: “We thought it was going to be a quiet shop, with a slow opening,” Shawn tells us. “But the day we opened we had a line, and it hasn’t stopped in five years.” In 2023, they had an opportunity to renovate the whole building and decided to add a hotel.

We sat down with Shawn and Anne to discuss their inspiration behind the project, how they made it happen, and what it means to be a “good neighbor.”

How did your immigrant upbringings shape good neighbor?

Shawn: Anne and I come from cultures rooted in hospitality—big meals, hosting, taking care of people. Growing up in North America, we were also figuring out our identities, understanding both our ancestors and who we are. good neighbor is a mix of all of that.

What brought you to Baltimore?

Shawn: Anne got into grad school at the University of Maryland in 2011, and I’d always loved the East Coast. Once we got to Baltimore, I started working in physical therapy with seniors in public housing and assisted living centers.

That’s when I really got to know the city. Seniors talked about how tight-knit the neighborhoods were—stoop culture, parties, people looking out for one another. 

And why did you decide to stay?

Anne: Baltimore is a city full of artists, creatives, and, most importantly, kind-hearted people who are always willing to help and support one another. We’ve been so fortunate to be a part of such a welcoming and collaborative environment. 

Shawn: It felt like we found our home.

So, how did good neighbor come to be?

Shawn: I wanted to build a neighborhood spot that tells the best story of Baltimore, but I sat on the idea for five or six years. Eventually, through a lot of serendipitous things, I was shown an old hardware store with a yard that aligned perfectly with my vision. I signed the lease, and threw myself into it. 

And it just felt like we were doing the right thing—there were so many connections. I would think, “how am I going to find an espresso machine?” and the universe would conspire to make it happen. As for the brands, when we got one, it would lead us to another.

“Baltimore is a city full of artists, creatives, and, most importantly, kind-hearted people who are always willing to help and support one another.” 

Anne Morgan

Did you always believe in serendipity, or did you discover it?

Shawn: This experience taught me that if you’re living your truth, the universe responds. It doesn’t always feel that way in the moment, but looking back, I see the connections.

What inspired you to add the hotel to the café and store?

Shawn: It wasn’t planned, but it all clicked. We rented the rest of the building, as we needed storage and more space, but then we thought, why not a hotel? People often said, “I want to live here,” so it made sense. There’s no hotel here where you can really be immersed among product in this way. We thought it would be great for our brands and our community.

What was your design concept for the hotel?

Shawn: I had never designed any place before, so it was more of a feeling than a concept. I put everything I had into it, and I tried to connect each detail to something bigger—and I think you can feel that.

“I put everything I had into it, and I tried to connect each detail to something bigger—and I think you can feel that.” 

Shawn Chopra

You incorporate design elements from India and Egypt—where you and Anne come from. Where do these come through?

Shawn: I took a trip to Egypt with Anne and her parents, and we brought back traditional papyrus to make screens, inspired by Japanese Shoji doors. I also love the idea of excavation, so we designed the sinks to feel like they’ve been there for thousands of years. The check-in desk was inspired by the Pyramids, and was built with Baltimore bricks.

Anne: It makes me so proud to see how our trip inspired Shawn. My favorite element has to be the alabaster—it brings such a warm, yet luxurious feel to the space. It’s also special to me because I grew up with both papyrus and alabaster in my home, and seeing how Shawn has repurposed these materials in such a unique and meaningful way is truly amazing.

Can you tell me about the elements inspired by India?

Shawn: My mom grew up in Chandigarh, a famous architectural city designed by Le Corbusier. This was really the only place we traveled as kids—so I took a lot of inspiration from there.

In India, there are a lot of breeze blocks for better air flow, so we brought that in. We worked with an Indian brand called Phantom Hands, who made teak and rattan furniture for the lobby. We also created a fun “stepwell” sink with local concrete artist, Mark Melonas, modeled after traditional Indian water wells.

What does being a good neighbor mean to you?

Anne: Being open, generous, curious, and welcoming—qualities that foster community and connection.

Shawn: It’s also about going the extra mile—doing something thoughtful for someone else, opening your home, taking care of others. That’s the idea of good neighbor, and that’s how communities get stronger.