Entrepreneur Meshell Adamo recently partnered with local business owner Al Costantino to renovate the long-vacant Glocester landmark known as the Purple Cat Restaurant.
The former restaurant property at 4 Stafford Yard in the Chepachet village has been closed for more than a decade. A strip-style building on the site that housed the restaurant revealed two trolley cars, including one with the Purple Cat Restaurant logo emblazoned across the front. The trolley cars were built in 1902 at the Wason Co. in Springfield, Mass., and they were brought to Glocester in 1929 after they ceased being used to transport people from Woonsocket to Burrillville.
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Adamo and her co-developer plan to preserve the trolleys as they work to build a mixed-use development with six buildings at the site, with retail and residential space.
PBN: What are your plans for the Purple Cat site in Glocester?
ADAMO: We are going to build a two-story, 9,000-square-foot barn for antique and refined furniture sales with 65 dealer booths. There will be four additional buildings for retail and single-bedroom apartments. The trolley diner will be restored and converted to an ice cream and soda fountain parlor. There will be a central courtyard with a granite hardscape for a gathering space and community events.
PBN: What’s the latest news about where the project stands as far as permitting and approval from town boards?
ADAMO: The project is presently before the Planning Board and will be before the town Zoning Board then back to the Planning Board and Historic Commission for final approval.
PBN: Why did you want to pursue this redevelopment project at the Purple Cat site?
ADAMO: Our vision for an antique center, ice cream parlor and mixed-use buildings is permitted in the Glocester Zoning Ordinance. The town of Glocester is committed to preserving the historic and cultural character and history of the village. There is no question that the Chepachet village is a landmark for those who love antiques and old-fashioned walkability browsing for treasures of the past.
PBN: What is the history of this property and its importance to town residents?
ADAMO: The Purple Cat Restaurant was established in 1929 by Fred and Ada LaVoie by combining two trolley cars from the old Fairmont line, one into a kitchen and the other a diner. With three generations of hard work by the LaVoie family, it became a landmark to all.
This has been a destination for people from Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut for years. It has a life of its own. We are committed to continuing the legacy, which has already brought smiles to the residents of Glocester as evidenced by the daily visitors to the site.
PBN: Who owns the property, when was it bought, how much does it cost and how did you get involved with this project?
ADAMO: Al Costantino and I purchased the property in December of 2021. We share a common passion for antiques and have both dreamed of owning a large-scale antique center. After looking at several properties, we came across the Purple Cat and agreed it was undoubtedly the perfect fit for all of our endeavors. Land and development costs will exceed $2 million.
Marc Larocque is a PBN staff writer. Contact him at Larocque@PBN.com. You may also follow him on Twitter @LaRockPBN.
