The Baltimore Business Journal reports that spice giant, McCormick is about to open McCormick’s World of Flavors retail store at the Light Street Pavilion at Harbor Place.

The 3,800-square-foot store will include cooking demonstrations and interactive displays, as well as a wide range of gifts. The retail center is “a milestone for McCormick,” CEO Alan D. Wilson said in a statement. “What better way to communicate what we do than to allow visitors to experience it personally.”

Letting customers experience and understand food for food-related business has long made sense. From Hershey Park in nearby Pennsylvania, or tours of the Tabasco Factory or Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Factory, food companies who open their door to visitors are rewarded with loyalty. Capturing young imaginations means a lot to parents, and that can translate into sales. McCormick has a lot to teach its customers – the more people know about how to use spices, the more spices they will buy. Smart move.