Welcome to Downtown Woonsocket!

John Chan, owner of Chan's Fine Oriental Dining, takes us inside a corner of Main Street that has been feeding and entertaining its community since 1905. From Canton, China to a jazz stage in Rhode Island, John shares how one family's journey across the world landed on a single block and never left. Along the way, he reflects on what it takes to build a legacy business, what Woonsocket's Main Street has been through, and why a great meal and live music might be exactly what a downtown needs to survive.

Show Notes:

Chan's Fine Oriental Dining: https://www.chanseggrollsjazz.com/

Ye Olde English Fish & Chips: https://www.woonsocketri.gov/business-directory/ye-olde-english-fish-chips

Stadium Theatre: https://www.stadiumtheatre.com

East Coast Greenway: https://greenway.org/states/new-england/rhode-island

Museum of Work & Culture: https://www.rihs.org/locations/museum-of-work-culture/

Main Street RI

Website: https://growsmartri.org/main-street-ri/

Mailing List: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/kOxcWFp

Welcome to Downtown Central Falls!

Joshua Giraldo, State Representative and Central Falls native, takes us inside a city that rebuilt itself from the ground up. From municipal bankruptcy to packed parks and a restaurant scene that spans the globe, Joshua shares how investing in public spaces, embracing a fiercely diverse community, and refusing to let a hard chapter define you can transform a Main Street district into a place worth showing up for.

Show Notes:

La Casona: https://www.lacasona-ri.com/

El Paso: https://www.facebook.com/elpasorestaurantri/

Mimi & Pop's: https://www.facebook.com/mimiandpopsicecream/

Jenks Park: https://www.centralfallsri.gov/parksrec/page/jenks-park

Veteran's Park: https://www.centralfallsri.gov/parksrec/page/veterans-memorial-park

Lupita's: http://ordertaquerialupita.com/

Main Street RI

Website: https://growsmartri.org/main-street-ri/

Mailing List: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/kOxcWFp

Welcome to Post Road in North Kingstown!

Tim Cranston, Town Historian of North Kingstown, takes us on a 400-year journey along one of America's oldest Main Streets. From indigenous trading paths to military base boom-and-bust cycles, Tim shares how understanding a place's diverse history and centering the voices often left out of the narrative can transform how we see our communities and inspire meaningful revitalization.

Show Notes:

North Kingstown Chamber of Commerce: https://www.northkingstown.com/

Post Road Business Alliance: https://postroadnk.org/

The View From Swamptown: https://www.independentri.com/view_from_swamptown/

NoKo Coffee: https://northkoffee.com/

Seabee Museum: https://seabeesmuseum.com/

Main Street RI

Website: https://growsmartri.org/main-street-ri/

Mailing List: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/kOxcWFp

Welcome to Mount Hope in Providence!

Helen Baskerville-Dukes and Dwayne Keys, leaders of the Mount Hope Community Center Business Alliance (and partipants of our Main Street Learning Cohort!), chat about their new initiative to support local entrepreneurship. We discuss the importance of community centers in supporting needs, navigating gentrification and displacement of residents, and building up the local main street community.

Show Notes:

Mount Hope Community Center: http://www.mhccri.org/

Billy Taylor Park: https://share.google/7d2F0lvmuAQVPpI32

Mount Hope Learning Center: https://mthopelc.org/

Oak Bakeshop: https://www.oakbakeshop.com/

Holy Name Church: https://holynameprovidence.org/

Frank & Laurie's: https://www.frankandlauries.com/

Main Street RI

Website: https://growsmartri.org/main-street-ri/

Mailing List: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/kOxcWFp

Welcome to Centredale in North Providence!

Alexandria DiGregorio, owner of North Providence's newest bookshop, shares her journey of opening a brick & mortar, the challenges and triumphs of being a young entrepreneur on a main street, and the importance of books in building social connection.

Show Notes:

Forget Me Not Fables Bookshop: https://forgetmenotfables.com/

The Valley Breeze Article: https://www.valleybreeze.com/news/north-providence-getting-a-bookstore-forget-me-not-fables/article_9b773189-a709-4e48-97f4-5d0d53506b00.html

Northern Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce: https://www.nrichamber.com/

North Providence Town Hall: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Zgcdr94fZNU3XLeCA

Sweet Deliveries Bakery: https://sweet-deliveries.com/

Cook & Dagger: https://www.cookanddagger.com/

Rhode Island Billiard Bar & Bistro: https://www.ribbb.com/

Main Street RI

Website: https://growsmartri.org/main-street-ri/

Mailing List: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/kOxcWFp

Learn more about Main Street RI: https://growsmartri.org/main-street-ri/

Apply to join our RI Main Street Learning Cohort: https://growsmartri.org/ri-main-street-learning-cohort/

Email us: [email protected]

See you in January for Season 2!

Register for our first annual Rhode Island Main Street Conference!

Welcome to Wakefield in South Kingstown!

Sara Breslin, secretary of the Wakefield Village Association, shares the process of planning their annual Halloween Stroll, the importance of hosting events for all ages, and the rewarding nature of hyperlocal work.

Show Notes:

Wakefield Village Association: https://www.wakefieldvillageassociation.com/

Sara Breslin: https://www.sarabreslin.com/

South County Bread Company: https://www.southcountybread.com/

Birch and Bay: https://www.birchandbayri.com/

Brickleys Ice Cream: https://www.brickleys.com/

Saugatucket Park: https://www.southkingstownri.gov/facilities/facility/details/Saugatucket-Park-7

The Glass Station: https://www.theglassstationstudio.com/

The Joyce: https://thejoyceri.com/

Caf Bar: https://www.cafbarri.com/

Main Street RI

Website: https://growsmartri.org/main-street-ri/

Mailing List: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/kOxcWFp

Register for our first annual Rhode Island Main Street Conference!

Welcome to Rolfe Square in Cranston!

Paul Durfee, third-generation owner of Durfee Hardware, discusses sustaining a family business through the years, the importance of building relationships with community members and municipal leaders, and the rich history of Rolfe Square.

Show Notes:

Durfee Hardware: https://durfeehardware.com/

The Park Theatre: https://theparkri.com/

Park Senate Barber: https://maps.app.goo.gl/CiaMU13FbAWF3Av89

Bettola Pizzaria: https://www.bettola.com/

Mesa Cafe and Grill: https://mesacafeandgrille.com/

Alani's Bistro: https://alanisbistro.com/

Main Street RI

Website: https://growsmartri.org/main-street-ri/

Mailing List: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/kOxcWFp

Welcome to Riverside Square in East Providence!

Amelia Olson, owner of Tall Tumbleweed Modern & Vintage, explores the importance of small business support, curiosity as a healing force, and community-led revitalization in East Providence's Riverside Square.

Show Notes:

Tall Tumbleweed: https://www.talltumbleweed.com/

Borealis Coffee: https://www.borealiscoffee.com/

Union Square Bistro: https://www.unionsquarebistro.com/

Myrtle: https://www.givemyrtle.com/

Spooky Bottom Bridge (Troll!): https://maps.app.goo.gl/QTNpxPRvkJM24zT17

The Outsider: https://www.theoutsiderep.com/

Honeybird: https://honeybirdri.com/

Sacred Cow Ice Cream (Monroe Dairy): https://sacredcowicecreamshop.com/hours-directions/

Main Street RI

Website: https://growsmartri.org/main-street-ri/

Mailing List: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/kOxcWFp

Welcome to the Broadway District in Newport!

Devon Mello, Artistic Director at the Firehouse Theater, discusses the benefits of growing up near Broadway, how the neighborhood has changed, and the significance of live entertainment in promoting social connectedness.

Show Notes:

Devon Mello: https://www.devonmello.com/

The Firehouse Theater & Bit Players: https://www.firehousetheater.org/

Empire Tea & Coffee: https://www.empireteaandcoffee.com/

Caleb & Broad: https://calebandbroad.com/

House of Waves Gallery: https://houseofwavesnpt.com/

Chase Ceglie (local musician): https://www.chaseceglie.com/bio

Main Street RI

Website: https://growsmartri.org/main-street-ri/

Mailing List: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/kOxcWFp