Entrepreneurship

BALANCED APPROACH: Blaine’s Sewing Machine Center owners Kate and Tim Palaski maintain an old-school mentality of supporting the customer and offering unique services while adapting to change with the times. PBN PHOTO/STEPHANIE BERNABA

Sewing success with new owners 

Entrepreneurship 08/14/2026

Blaine’s Sewing Machine Center (Published Oct. 23, 2020) YEAR ESTABLISHED: 1950 TYPE OF BUSINESS: Retail sales and service of sewing machines, fabric THEN: NAME: Blaine Enterprises Inc. (dba Blaine...

HELPING HAND: Dan Wood, owner and founder of DWRI Letterpress LLC print shop, works in 2008 with Lois Harada, shop manager, on the Polyman 50 automatic-fed cylinder letterpress at the shop’s headquarters in Providence.  PBN FILE PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

Still profiting from hands-on printmaking

Entrepreneurship 08/14/2026

DWRI Letterpress LLC (Published June 8, 2018) YEAR ESTABLISHED: 2003 TYPE OF BUSINESS: Letterpress printing company THEN: NAME: Dan Wood Rhode Island Letterpress OWNER: Dan Wood LOCATION: 40 Rice St., Providence EMPLOYEES:...

RICH TRADITION: David Grande, owner of Savon Shoes, at the company’s North Providence location. Grande bought Jamiels Shoe World in 2013.  PBN PHOTO/ STEPHANIE BERNABA

Savon continues Jamiels legacy

Entrepreneurship 08/14/2026

Savon Shoes (Published April 24, 1995) YEAR ESTABLISHED: 1982 TYPE OF BUSINESS: Shoe sales THEN: NAME: Jamiels Shoe World OWNER/PRESIDENT: Lily Jamiel LOCATION: Warren and West Warwick EMPLOYEES: 70 YEAR ESTABLISHED: 1983 ANNUAL REVENUE:...

TAKING OVER: Henry Lopez-Melgar, a longtime team member who spent much of his career working his way up from washing dishes and preparing food to management responsibilities at Tito’s Cantina in Middletown, is now the restaurant’s new owner.  PBN PHOTO/ELIZABETH GRAHAM

Melgar adding to winning hand

Entrepreneurship 08/14/2026

Tito’s Cantina (Published July 10, 1995) YEAR ESTABLISHED: 1989 TYPE OF BUSINESS: Restaurant THEN: OWNERS: Rich Reavis, president, and Vice Arcello, vice president LOCATION: 651 West Main Rd., Middletown EMPLOYEES: 15 ANNUAL...

WORKING TOGETHER: The first panel featured, from left, Ted Williams, president of Senesco Marine LLC; Flux Marine Ltd. CEO Ben Sorkin; Jason Noel, operations executive at Juice Robotics LLC; Linda Larsen, maritime and industry engagement manager for Polaris Tech Bridge; and Daniela Fairchild, chief strategy officer for R.I. Commerce Corp. PBN Editor Michael Mello, right, moderates. PBN FILE PHOTO/MIKE SKORSKI

In R.I.’s emerging industries, it’s all about collaboration

Entrepreneurship 08/14/2026

On March 11, 2026, PBN brought together business and government leaders to discuss challenges and opportunities surrounding Rhode Island’s sciences industry and ocean economy....

Baldomar created Rhody apparel company to honor her late husband

Entrepreneurship 08/14/2026

In 2022, Paola Baldomar found herself a young widow and single mother to a 2-month-old infant daughter. In October of that year, her husband,...

TIGHT GRIP: Joe Depena, owner and fitness manager at VP Fitness on Dorrance Street in Providence, works with his client, Alice Negrao, of Providence, in 2018.  PBN FILE  PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

Fit for expansion

Entrepreneurship 08/14/2026

VP Fitness (Published Sept. 7, 2018) YEAR ESTABLISHED: 2011 TYPE OF BUSINESS: Fitness club THEN: OWNER: Joe Depena LOCATION: 10 Dorrance St., Suite 200, Providence EMPLOYEES: 28 ANNUAL SALES: $1.3 million NOW: OWNER: Joe...

Driving Forces: Dr. Anne S. DeGroot

Entrepreneurship 08/14/2026

Dr. Anne S. DeGroot EVA Therapeutics founder and president DR. ANNE S. DEGROOT has been at the forefront of medical innovation, specifically vaccine development, in Rhode...

Driving Forces: Arnell Milhouse

Entrepreneurship 08/14/2026

Arnell Milhouse yconic CEO IN HIS LONG CAREER as a startup entrepreneur in Rhode Island, Arnell Milhouse has always seen and embraced the possibilities in technology...