10 Most Heartbreaking Business Closings in Rhode Island

#10

Providence Phoenix Closed

From October, 2012:

The longstanding alternative weekly, The Providence Phoenix, is closing.

The paper, once a sister paper to the highly respected and defunct Boston Phoenix, will publish its last issue on October 17th.

For a paper that once featured some of the best writers in the market and was home to the longstanding Phillipe + Jorge's Cool, Cool World, the closing is another death nail to print media.

The 36-year-old paper that started in the market as The New Paper, was purchased by Boston's Phoenix Media Group's Stephen Mindich.

In the pre-digital era it was once the source for food, music and entertainment content in the Providence market.

#9

Crugnale Bakery’s Rumford & Providence Stores Closed - Opened in 1917

From June, 2021:

Crugnale Bakery has closed its Rumford and Providence locations. 

The bakery, which first opened in 1917, was best known for its pizza strips.

On Monday, a message at the bakery’s Providence location on 11 Newark Avenue off of Atwells Avenue said it was “permanently closed” — and directed customers to fill bread orders through Duva Distributors in Worcester.

The location at 237 Newman Avenue had a sign in the window on Monday stating, “Closed, thank you for your business.” The number at that original location is now out of service. 

At one time, Crugnale’s had five locations - including Cranston, Cumberland, and North Providence.  Numbers listed for those locations back in 2018 are similarly out of service. 

Crugnale's had not posted to Facebook since May 2020, when it announced it was reopening the Rumford location after being closed during the first part of the pandemic. 

Efforts to reach owners were not successful at the time of publication. 

#8

Christiansen’s Dairy is Closing — 3rd Generation Company Began in the 1920s 

From March, 2019

Another part of historic Rhode Island is coming to an end. Christiansen’s Diary is closing — the company confirmed the news to GoLocalProv.

“Christiansen's Dairy is a 3rd generation family-owned business that started back in the 1920s. In those times the deliveries were made by ‘Horse and Wagon.’ We take great pride in our QUALITY, AFFORDABLE dairy products.

Our milk is pasteurized and homogenized on-site. So it's fresh when you receive it at your house. Bottled in glass or recyclable plastic containers for our consumers' choice,” said the company’s website

A company representative said that they will be sending out fliers to their customers and referring business to Munroe Dairy.
 

The company’s history

Our approach to business, and we think the most important aspect of our business, is to produce the best possible product. The method of processing, bottling, and storing our milk assures quality and freshness. 

Packaging our milk, cream, and orange juice predominantly in glass bottles, along with our home delivery of all dairy products is our most valuable marketing niche.

Christiansen's Dairy Co. was started by Alfred Christiansen in the 1920's. After renting a barn, he bought a few baby chicks, a few cows, and a horse and wagon. He started delivering milk and eggs house to house. The milk was in large milk cans and when he arrived at a customer's house, they would come out with a pitcher. With a quart measure ladle, he would measure the amount of milk - the customer needed to put it in their pitcher. The ladle was his means of distribution and pricing.

As time went on and his business prospered Alfred bought the land where Christiansen's Dairy is presently located. He built the dairy, bought processing equipment (as state mandated pasteurization), bought a bottle washer, and a few Divco trucks.

Throughout the years, Christiansen's Dairy has bought several dealers due to the arrival of Cumberland Farms and other convenience stores. Thus, we have come from horse drawn wagons to Divco trucks and modern dairy equipment. We are into the third generation of Christiansen's Dairy and we love our family business. We have grown with sheer determination, hard work, long hours, dependable employees and, last but not least, a sense of humor.

So far, it has worked for us.

We at Christiansen's Dairy sponsor a variety of youth sports teams in North Providence and Smithfield. Also we donate goods and money to various churches, schools, elderly and town organizations.

#7

Minerva’s Pizza in Wayland Square Closes: End of an Era

From May, 2024:

It is the end of an era — Minerva’s Pizza in Wayland Square in Providence has closed. 

[It was just one of dozens of businesses that shuttered due to RIDOT's failure to maintain the Washington Bridge]

The Greek pizza, sandwich, and salad shop had operated on South Angell Street for decades. 

It was one of the last and oldest continuously operating businesses in the commercial area. 

“Thank you, Wayland Square…we had a good run; it is the end of an era,” Minerva announced on Saturday. 

“Sorry everyone, I didn’t bend the right way with the changing times,” proprietor Kaylin Maloney Habchi shared on Facebook. 

The Facebook page for Minerva’s had several posts about the failure and closure of the Washington Bridge. 

Traffic coming off the Henderson Bridge — the alternate route into the East Side of Providence — was diverted down South Angell Street where the now former business was located. 

"We are so grateful for all of our customers and friends that supported us through the years, " Habchi told GoLocal. 

The December Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) Washington Bridge failure hit Minerva's in two ways.

The bridge closure pushed traffic over to the Henderson Bridge, which emptied onto South Angell Street and made the street in front of the shop a virtual parking lot, making it nearly impossible for customers to drive to the shop.

Kaylin Maloney Habchi, who has owned the restaurant for years, told GoLocal that the bridge closure had a significant impact —  dramatically decreasing the size of the market she served.

One advantage of Minerva’s was that it had its own delivery. It was fast, and the drivers cared about the food.

She said the bridge closure impacted her and her customers because she had built a significant delivery business to the East Bay.

“Especially after COVID, I built my delivery business in the East Bay,” she told GoLocal. 

After GoLocal reported the closure, nearly 1,000 shared the article on Facebook. The Saturday story announcement of the end of Minerva's generated comments such as:

“NOOOOOO!!!!! I grew up in the 70’s and 80’s eating their food as I grew up on the East Side!!!! This is an absolute tragedy!!!!

#6

Cable Car Cinema Closes

From April, 2018:

In a letter to friends of the movie house - the owners of the Cable Car Cinema issued the following letter late on Thursday night announcing the closing.

A Letter to the Friends, Fans, and Long-Time Customers of the Cable Car Cinema:

Change. It is a word that evokes strong and conflicting emotions. Fear, Excitement, Dread. Exhilaration. By its nature it is unknown and represents loss. Change reminds us of the temporal nature of the human condition which includes all human endeavors. All is temporary.

After a 42-year run - it is time for the Cable Car Cinema to change. May 27th, 2018 will be the last day of operation at 204 South Main Street. This news will no doubt leave many people stunned and distraught as this local institution known as “the theater with the couches” has been a cultural anchor in Providence that has been recognized both locally and nationally for “its unique character, historic significance, and continued commitment to excellence in film programming and exhibition.

We did not come to this decision lightly. There were many business factors considered: the changing nature of film exhibition, the changing habits of media consumption, and the fact that we do not own our building. For the past year, we have been negotiating with RISD (our landlord) different scenarios to make it feasible for the Cable Car Cinema to continue in its current spot. Unfortunately, that has not worked out. We could not come to any agreement that makes long-term financial sense for us while also satisfying their institutional needs.

#5

Wayland Bakery Closing—East Side Institution Since 1928

From December, 2022:

Wayland Bakery is closing after nearly 100 years.

Known for its classic cakes and desserts, the shop has been one of the East Side’s longest-standing businesses. It opened in 1928.

It will cease operations on Saturday. 

GoLocal spoke with former owner Anthony “Buzz” Basilico, whose family owned the bakery from 1957 to 1999, before selling it to current owner Luis Rodriguez, and his wife Elizabeth. 

Basilico recalled how his father Ponfilo — known to everyone as “Ponpie” — was an artist and accomplished cake decorator. 

“He made cakes for quite a few famous people,” said Basilico. “I know he made one for Pope [John] Paul…he also made one for [former President Dwight] Eisenhower.”

All baking was done on the premises, and was "of the highest quality," says the bakery. 

#4

Old Canteen

From January, 2025:

GoLocal broke the story that Sal Marzilli and his family were selling the Old Canteen to one of Newport businessman Nicholas Schorsch's companies. Now, the word is that the restaurant will no longer continue as a traditional Italian restaurant, but Schorsch has announced that the Old Canteen will be made into a wiener joint called “Wally’s Wieners.”

As chronicled in a GoLocal investigative series, Schorsch has been gobbling up many of the best-known restaurants in Newport.

Over the decades prior to moving to Rhode Island full-time, he had a track record that includes OSHA violations, allegations of environmental crimes, and being forced to pay millions in penalties to the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Schorsch’s purchase of the Old Canteen marks the end of one of the city’s most iconic restaurants. It has served as the gateway to Federal Hill for nearly 70 years and was the place where organized crime bosses like Raymond Patriarca ate lunch most days and the late Providence Mayor Buddy Cianci held court.

It was so much more - anniversaries, birthdays, family reunions.

#3

Nordstrom Closes Providence Place Mall Store

From October, 2018:

Retailer — and anchor tenant — Nordstrom at Providence Place Mall announced it was closing after nearly 20 years. 

Nordstrom announced its plans on Tuesday to close its full-line store at Providence Place, which originally opened in August 1999.

The store will remain open through Friday, January 4, 2019.

"The decision to close a store is always a tough one for us because we know it impacts both our customers and our employees," said Jamie Nordstrom, president of Nordstrom stores. "We've been fortunate to serve customers here for nearly 20 years and have built meaningful relationships with our customers and community in that time.

"We look at our business market-by-market to understand where we have opportunities to grow our business while also being as efficient as possible in serving our customers. When we look at our business in the Providence market, we determined it made most sense to end our Providence Place lease," said Nordstrom.

#2

Memorial Hospital

From December, 2017:

Rhode Island Department of Health on Thursday approved Care New England’s (CNE’s) application to close Memorial Hospital’s emergency department in a decision that includes "conditions aimed at supporting local emergency medical response capacity, maintaining the state’s primary care training infrastructure, and investing in health at the community-level," said the Department.

The decision will be effective on January 1, 2018.

“We spent weeks carefully weighing CNE’s applications to understand how these changes at Memorial Hospital would affect the most vulnerable residents of Pawtucket and Central Falls, and the state’s healthcare system as a whole,” said Director of Health Nicole Alexander-Scott, MD, MPH. “The conditions included in today’s decision seek to ensure that residents continue to have access to the high-quality care they need. In addition, the conditions call on CNE to invest in community-level initiatives that will positively impact the underlying socioeconomic and environmental factors that actually determine the health of people and their neighborhoods.”

“Care New England remains steadfast in its commitment to the development and implementation of our recently outlined comprehensive plan of care for the community moving forward,” said James E. Fanale, MD, executive vice president, chief operating officer, and chief clinical officer of Care New England.

“CNE’s collaboration with the Governor’s Office, the mayors of Pawtucket and Central Falls, the union, and community representatives demonstrates our commitment to the Blackstone Valley and health care throughout the entire state for many years to come. Future services will be implemented to preserve Memorial Hospital’s legacy, and the dedicated professionalism of those who have provided care and support for which Memorial was known for more than 100 years,” he said.

#1

Benny's Closing

From September, 2017:

It's the end of a Rhode Island institution -- Benny’s stores announced they will close all stores and lay off more than 700 full and part-time workers. For 93 years, the family-owned chain with stores in Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Southeastern Massachusetts will cease operations at all locations, effective at the close of 2017, the company announced.

According to the company, part of the motivation is the desire of the Bromberg family ownership to retire from the operation of the retail chain, the company will begin winding down operations at their 31 locations and distribution center effective immediately.