Open:
Rollers: A new sports bar has arrived in Providence as of June 12. Rollers hosts watch parties, serves a variety of diner-style food and drinks, and offers both private and semi-private party events. The spot was known long ago as the Satin Doll, one of PVD’s retired strip clubs, so you might want to check the seat cushions for panties. Located at 33 Aborn St, PVD. rollerspvd.com
848 Sidestage: The Historic Park Theatre & Event Center has opened a new performance space for live music, in collaboration with Spectacle Live. You can catch a variety of shows here, such as Swan Lake, Rocky in Concert, and Taylorville. The Sidestage is located at 848, Park Ave, Cranston. theparkri.com/848-sidestage
Proclamation Brewery: Proclamation Brewery, formerly Proclamation Ale, announced its reopening on September 18, after previous owner and co-founder Lori Witham announced its closure on May 1. The brewery originally closed due to the cost of long-term litigation from one of the co-founders, as well as complications that came along with COVID and the death of co-founder Dave Witham, Lori’s husband. The first batch of their Tendril Ale returned to stores and restaurants soon after the post was released and the new management plans to reopen the taproom this Fall. When the name reappeared, parts of the internet burst into social-media-turmoil. The space, intellectual property, recipes and name were taken in receivership by the bank, and the new owner, Richard Storti, acquired them from the bank. He has announced intentions to develop a “memorial series,” but the previous owners and employees are not involved. “This is not a resurrection.” says Witham, “It’s a reminder of what we went through trying to protect the legacy of a friend, a husband, a father and a founder.“ proclamationbrewing.com
Peach Cobbler Factory: While this dessert shop has been around since 2013, RI has just been added to its roster of locations across 26 states. Aiming to “evoke the feeling of grandma’s kitchen,” their menu promises a variety of desserts from cobblers to pudding to churros. Now located at 102 Dean St, PVD. peachcobblerfactory.com
La Fe Taqueria: Founder Jason Vargas opened an Asian-Mexican fusion food truck in 2013, which gained popularity on Thayer St. After the pandemic, Vargas stepped away from the kitchen to develop Retro Plus Modern, a workshop and showroom in Central Falls. Now, Vargas has returned to the food business, opening this Mexican restaurant on Sep 9. Find La Fe Taqueria at 748 Hope Street. lafetaqueria.com
Hook N Ladder Pizza Co: Founded in 2020, this popular food truck is opening a physical location soon. They previously operated out of an actual firetruck to sell wood fired pizza (and fulfill kids’ dreams of climbing on a firetruck), but have now upgraded to a new permanent spot in Warwick, at 2283 Post Road. Do not bring matches, they are still fire professionals. hooknladderpizzaco.com
Johnny Boy: A modern dive bar with screens all over the place for the sports lovers. They also serve American favorites like wings, burgers, fries and more. 529 Warwick Ave, Warwick. johnnyboysri.com
CUT123: A bold new steak and sushi concept from John Elkhay, opening in November replacing Ten Prime Seafood. A mix of approachable, affordable steakhouse featuring hand-butchered, 28-day-aged Certified Angus sirloin, with a high-energy, Japanese izakaya-style lounge serving sake, shareable bites, and traditional and contemporary sushi. With menus available on both floors and a pre-theater bento box for theatergoers heading to nearby Trinity or PPAC, CUT123 promises unpretentious quality and an electric neighborhood vibe. 123 Empire St, PVD. chowfunfoodgroup.com
Closed:
Black Leaf Tea: The Black-woman-owned tea shop, which once sold loose leaf, drinks, and pastries, is now closed. They were located at 52 Valley St, PVD.
Napolitano’s Brooklyn Pizza: The Italian restaurant known for its thin-crust pizza and kamikazi delivery drivers has closed its Providence location. Find them now at 375 Putnam Pike in Smithfield.
Figidini Pizza: This Neapolitan pizza restaurant has closed. They once served, in addition to pizza, small plates a la carte, seasonal salads, cocktails, and draft beers. They were wedged tightly between some other great restaurants at 67 Washington St, PVD.
Sin Bakery: Known for their wedding cakes, vegan, and gluten-free options, this bakery is closing its doors on Oct. 31 after 24 years of serving customers. There will be weekly Saturday sales until closing. Through their enthusiastic support of local non-profits, and some exceptional wedding heroics, they were widely loved by many in the community, and very grateful for their long-term supporters. The precipitous rise in the prices of small-business sized batches of baking supplies, labor, delivery, and coffee (which has gone up 5-fold in the last two years) led to the They are located at 1413 Westminster St, PVD.
The Music Complex: A musical facility that offers anything you could think of in terms of musical lessons, equipment, and instruments. They previously operated in Smithfield and Pawtucket, but have since opened up their newest location in North PVD, at 1854 Smith St, North Providence.
The Quarry: Same spot is temporarily closed, but intends to reopen with an updated atmosphere. The Quarry’s renovation is currently in process to offer live music performances, a bar, pool tables, and more. 102 Granite Street, Westerly.
110 Grill: A popular upscale restaurant serving American cuisine with a stellar gluten-free selection recently closed down after 6 years in business, they’ve officially decided to close their doors to the Providence location. They still have about 20 locations around NH, CT, and MA. 111 Fountain St, PVD, RI 02903
Clementine Cocktail Bar: A cocktail lounge, partially owned by former PVD mayor, David Cicilline, has officially closed as of early October. It was known for its intimate footprint, great theater-adjacent location, and professionally polished high-end mixed drinks. The shutdown came as a result of Clementine’s deciding not to renew their four-year lease at 200 Washington St, PVD.
We lost far too many great businesses this month. And with gas prices, rental rate exploitation, and tariffs showing no signs of coming under control soon, it’s easy to feel pessimistic. When times are tough, those are the times you most need to remind people that your business is there and what it has to offer. Please, remember to have a marketing plan – without one, the current incredible pressures on restaurants and small businesses only get tougher! They’re easier to budget in the prosperous periods, but advertising and marketing help most in the down times, to raise the bottom line. Please don’t forget about them – we don’t want to add any more local treasures to this list!