PROVIDENCE – An organic grocery store is coming from Cape Cod to downtown Providence this winter, bringing fresh, natural foods, dietary supplements and smoothies to a 6,000-square-foot space on Washington Street.
Rory’s Market and Kitchen, an independent grocery store with locations in Mashpee and Dennis, Mass., is slated to set up a location at the Nightingale Building, a six-floor apartment building at 113 Washington St. that opened last year. Rory’s Market is expanding into Rhode Island for the first time.
Construction of the Providence store is set to begin this summer with a plan to open later this year or in early 2022.
The owner of Rory’s said the company first considered properties in the Boston area before selecting the Washington Street location, attracted by the potential for growth in downtown Providence.
“We’re excited to join the vibrant downtown Providence neighborhood, not just as a new business, but as a hub for people to connect,” said Rory Eames, the namesake for the business who took over ownership from her mother, Darby Ziruk, who started her first natural foods market on Cape Cod in 1978. “Building connections through food and atmosphere is such a fundamental part of our business. In a city like Providence, we can play an active role in the community.”
The arrival was celebrated by property developer Cornish Associates L.P., the real estate management company Nordblom Co. and real estate investment company Boston Andes Capital LLC – all of which are behind the development of the Nightingale, an upscale apartment building with 143 units.
“Downtown residents have been asking for a grocery store and we are excited to bring Rory’s Market and Kitchen to the neighborhood,” said Arnold “Buff” Chace Jr., founder and managing partner for Cornish Associates. “Within blocks, residents, those working downtown and visitors to the city, will have an easy walk to pick up organic groceries, fresh bread, sandwiches, salads, smoothies and more.”
Like its locations on the Cape, the Providence store will feature a kitchen, churning out prepared meals, and there will also be a dining area, Chace said. The full-service café will offer all-day breakfasts, including avocado toast, crisp salads, sandwiches, hot bowls and other foods that can be quickly prepared, he said. They even have freshly prepared juices and elixirs at their juice bar, he said.
“With tables available as well, Rory’s is not just a grocery store, it’s a gathering spot,” Chace said.
The Providence location will be the largest of all Rory’s Market locations. Its Dennis location is 3,000 square feet and the Mashpee store is 4,000 square feet.
Marc Larocque is a PBN staff writer. Contact him at Larocque@PBN.com.
