Spotlight - Page 2 of 12 - Providence Business News

LEAVING HIS MARK: Providence Painted Signs owner Shawn Gilheeny works in his Marvin Street studio. His signature work can be seen throughout the capital city and beyond.  PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

Painting Providence: Where advertising meets art

Art & Culture 07/18/2025

Shawn Giheeney’s eye-catching handiwork can be spotted all over Providence. His company, Providence Painted Signs, has left a bold mark across the cityscape with striking...

ILLUMINATING DISPLAY: Patrick Dolat managed Newport Lamp & Shade Co. for years and served as creative director before taking over as the owner in 2017. The store features high-end lamps and shades crafted by artisans from around the world.  PBN PHOTO/KATE WHITNEY LUCEY

Newport Lamp & Shade provides a beacon of lighting

Entrepreneurship 07/04/2025

Founded in 2008, Newport Lamp & Shade Co. has established itself as a leading retail hub in Newport for those seeking to light up...

PRIDE PREP: Heather Allen, manager of the independent craft/gift shop Craftland on Westminster Street in Providence, which not only supports the transgender community but also sells work by transgender artists, prepares the shop for Pride Week.  PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

Pop-up turned gift shop one of first small businesses to anchor...

Art & Culture 06/20/2025

When local artists Margaret Carelton and Johanna Fisher decided to host a monthlong pop-up shop in 2002, they simply wanted to showcase the cool...

DYNAMIC DUO: Kenneth Zorabedian, left, is the owner and his brother, Robert Zorabedian, is the director of United Parking LLC, a Providence-based valet and parking management company that just took over the Mt. Fuji/ Huntington Exchange parking lot in Providence. The brothers recently celebrated 20 years in business. PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

3-point turn pays off for United Parking

Entrepreneurship 06/06/2025

It’s been 20 years since Kenneth Zorabedian started United Parking LLC in 2005. At the time, he was a 25-year-old parking cars for upscale...

ROLE REVERSAL: Coral Rose Aiello assumed the captaincy of the Sara Star Fishing Charter’s Coral Rose boat from her father, Joseph Aiello, in 2023, effectively making him first mate. Under her leadership, the Newport-based business continues to thrive.  PBN PHOTO/DAVID HANSEN

Family fishing charter sailing strong for 3 decades

Entrepreneurship 05/23/2025

Now in its 30th year, Newport-based Sara Star Fishing Charters is a study in small-business succession planning. The business was founded in 1995 by Capt....

DEEP THERAPY: Float Rhode Island co-owners Lindy Fregeolle and Scott Mitchell with one of their float therapy pods, in which a person floats in a heated mixture of water and Epsom salts, which reduces or eliminates the senses so the mind and body can slow down and relax.  PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

Warwick wellness studio specializes in float therapy

Entrepreneurship 05/09/2025

After just 15 minutes into his first session of float therapy, Scott Mitchell fell into a deep meditation. Mitchell, who was looking for a way...

CONNECTING CO-WORKERS: In the post-pandemic world of remote and hybrid work, CEO Matthew Kaplan, left, and Chief Resource Officer Jeffrey Sparr founded Scribl in Pawtucket last year to bring back the feeling of connection in the workplace through doodles, creativity and team building.  PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

Connecting co-workers through creativity

Business Services 04/25/2025

The corporate world is a different place now than it was before the COVID-19 pandemic. With more people working in hybrid and remote positions,...

ROLLING ALONG: Cheyne Cousens moved back from California in 2023 to run his father’s Elemental Surf and Skate shop in Middletown, which he rebranded Omen after an idea that began as a hobby in 2014 with printed-up T-shirts with logos and artwork he personally designed.  PBN PHOTO/KATE WHITNEY LUCEY

Omen is making waves in Aquidneck Island surf and skateboard scene

Entrepreneurship 04/11/2025

A mainstay in Newport and Middletown’s surf and skateboarding scene for years, Cheyne Cousens was ready to take the reins. After his father, Symon Cousens,...