The Shop Brings Artisan Coffee + Pastries to Providence's Fox Point

Thom Bassett, Guest Contributor

The Shop Brings Artisan Coffee + Pastries to Providence's Fox Point

Along with the opening of Tallulah’s Taqueria on Ives Street, the arrival of The Shop, an innovative artisan café on the corner of Governor and Wickenden Streets, signals that the East Side is the place this summer in Providence to find new, distinctive, high-quality food and drink.

The Shop is the first business owned by John Paul and Diana Murton, but their vision for it has grown from lifetimes spent in the restaurant industry. Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, John Paul eventually arrived in New York, where he worked at restaurants such as The Grocery in Brooklyn and Blue Hill at Stone Barns. These restaurants were at the forefront of the farm-to-table movement and emphasize the local, ethical sourcing of ingredients.

Diana is a Warwick native who went to New York to pursue an acting career. She met John Paul in 2005 when both were employed at the upscale establishment Crispo, and like him was inspired by its approach to serving food. “I like the stories of where food comes from,” she says, adding that hearing those stories at Blue Hill and other places “woke me up to a lot of things.”

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Local baking, NY’s Stumptown coffee

Many places will include responsibly sourced food, but John Paul and Diana have made the use of seasonal, local, organic products whenever possible the heart of their endeavor. The Shop presently features muffins and other pastries from East Providence’s Illuminated Oven; after its grand opening on August 1, the menu will also include goods from Humble Pie as well as breads pretzels from Foremost Bakery, both of Providence. Also available will be an assortment of tartines. The selection reflects their conviction that, as John Paul puts it, “One of the most impactful things you do is eat. It ripples throughout your community.” The Shop’s coffees come from Brooklyn’s stellar Stumptown Roasters. (Incidentally, their cold-brewed coffee instantly converted this heretofore foe of iced coffee.)

John Paul and Diana
The Murtons collaborated closely with designer Jenn Radlinski on all elements of The Shop’s aesthetic and space. The result is a relaxed, comfortable combination of elements as varied as floor planks repurposed from a mill on Atwells Avenue, communal seating at a farm-style table, recovered industrial light fixtures, and wallpaper that can only be described as “hipster toile.” There are also European aspects to the design: The Shop’s wood-topped drink rail follows a common practice in Spanish and Italian cafes, and it has tiling inspired by a visit to Paris.    

A Fox Point destination

John Paul and Diana created The Shop with an eye toward making it a destination for the entire Fox Point community. Students in the fall will be able to plug in their laptops and go online, but the Murtons also designed their café to be welcoming to young families and to those who have lived in Fox neighborhood for generations. “We feel like we’re a success when everyone’s together in one space,” John Paul says.

Until August 1, The Shop is open Tuesday-Friday, 7:45-4:00, Saturday-Sunday, 10-4, with expanded hours thereafter. 460 Wickenden Street. http://www.theshopfoxpoint.com/. 401-684-1140.


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