Spotlight - Page 8 of 14 - Providence Business News

DOUBLE LIFE: Rick Sunderland, a gym and health teacher at Classical High School, opened live music venue Dusk on Harris Avenue in Providence in 2010 because of a passion for live music and a desire to showcase musicians and artists.  PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

‘Creating a space for artists and musicians’ a labor of love...

Art & Culture 12/08/2023

Other than his 30 years as a Providence public school teacher, Rick Sunderland’s resume reads like a partial directory of Rhode Island nightclubs. Bon...

TRIAL BY FIRE: Elizabeth Welch started her Providence ceramics studio, Anyhow Studio, in 2021 after sensing there was a need for instruction on ceramics beyond beginner-level courses.  PBN PHOTO/RUPERT WHITELEY

After leap of faith, ceramics studio takes shape

Art & Culture 11/24/2023

When Elizabeth Welch opened Anyhow Studio, she wasn’t quite sure what to expect. She was no stranger to leading ceramics courses in Providence, having taught...

VALUABLE COLLECTION: Bill and Alison Vareika gather amongst some of their extensive collection of William Trost Richards paintings in the Vareika Fine Arts Gallery in Newport. PBN PHOTO/DAVID HANSEN

Vareika traded dealing in courtrooms for dealing paintings

Art & Culture 11/10/2023

William Vareika was supposed to be a lawyer, not an art dealer. But sometimes fate has a way of making these decisions for you. A...

COLLECTING SCRAPS: Leo Pollock, left, and Nat Harris, co-founders of organic waste collector ReMix Organics Co. in Providence, use these yellow bins to gather food waste, which either goes to farms for compost or is turned into energy such as electricity or a renewable gas.  PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

ReMix Organics shaking up food waste industry

Entrepreneurship 10/27/2023

After moving to Providence in 2007 from the Netherlands, where he studied environmental policy and sustainable development, Leo Pollock noticed gaps in local food...

SECOND CHANCE: Christine Stulik, owner of The Lady Next Door in Warren, took over the vintage clothing store that she used to frequent as a customer from former owner Sandy Nathanson after Nathanson put the store up for sale and the initial buyer backed out. PBN PHOTO/TRACY JENKINS

Stulik breathes new life into vintage shop in Warren

Entrepreneurship 10/13/2023

When Christine Stulik first visited The Lady Next Door in Warren as a theater student, she didn’t have much familiarity with vintage clothing. But the...

ON A ROLL: Professional bowlers Jon Van Hees, right, and Alex Aguiar are co-owners of Strike F/X Pro Shops LLC, a specialty bowling sporting goods business, with several locations in Rhode Island and Massachusetts.  PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

From lanes to pro shops, Strike F/X boosting bowling communities

Entrepreneurship 09/29/2023

Since before he could walk – much less hold a bowling ball – Jon Van Hees has been spending his spare time at the...

BRANCHING OUT: After getting their start at Chad Verdi Sr.’s film production company Verdi Productions in East Greenwich, executive producers Paul Luba, left, and Verdi’s son, Chad Verdi Jr., have launched their own affiliate company, Hyperborea Films, and released their first feature in 2021. / PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

Making movies ‘a family thing’ at Verdi Productions

Art & Culture 09/15/2023

Chad Verdi Jr. is dedicating his life to the venture started by his father 15 years ago when he secured the rights to make...

DYNAMIC DUO: Lita and Matt Bondlow are the owners of Bali Bungalow LLC, a furniture store with a focus on Indonesian décor and sustainability. They have two store locations, one in Providence and one in Stonington, Conn. PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

Furniture, home décor items exclusively crafted by Indonesian artisans

Entrepreneurship 09/01/2023

In their annual visits to Indonesia, wife and husband Lita and Matt Bondlow were struck by the craftsmanship of handmade furniture in Lita’s home...

DYNAMIC DUO: True Music Studios owner Nolan Quartaroli, right, launched the audio production studio in 2011 in Smithfield. He recently promoted audio engineer and producer Nick Lancellotti, left, to business partner after Lancellotti helped him keep the business going during the pandemic. PBN PHOTO/ELIZABETH GRAHAM

Turning knobs, polishing walls of sound

Entrepreneurship 08/18/2023

For Nolan Quartaroli, owner of True Music Studios, the music came first. He still recalls his introduction to production years ago while playing in...