November 23, 2021
PROVIDENCE, RI – Mayor Jorge O. Elorza today joined Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau (PWCVB), Stephen White, co-owner of Res American Bistro, Julia Broome, owner of Kin Southern Table + Bar, Sandra Enos, founder and CEO of Giving Beyond the Box, and community members to encourage Providence residents to shop local ahead of Small Business Saturday, to be observed this year on November 27. In contrast to Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Small Business Saturday is meant to inspire support of local brick and mortar spaces, as well as local online businesses.
“The pandemic forced many industries to adapt and show resiliency amidst uncertainty,” said Mayor Jorge O. Elorza. “Providence’s small business community has triumphed, finding new ways to thrive and provide for our community. This holiday season, I want to remind residents that by shopping and dining local, you’re supporting local, so be sure visit the small businesses that make us the Creative Capital.”
“As we relaunched the Buy Local RI campaign last holiday season, small businesses were struggling to survive and didn’t know what the next day, week, or month might bring,” said Kristen Adamo, Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau president and CEO. “Those struggles, while maybe not as dire, still exist this holiday season. But, in addition to buying physical goods, this year’s campaign encourages getting out into the community and safely reengaging in shared experiences like holiday markets, neighborhood strolls, and just celebrating the merriment of the season.”
This year, the City reemphasizes its locally owned restaurants as spaces to remember during the holiday shopping season. As residents begin to navigate the new normal, it is even more important to support local by safely returning to restaurants, diners, and cafes, to reconnect with family, friends, and colleagues.
“Some might assume that opening a brand-new restaurant during a pandemic would be daunting, but for us, we were simply chasing our dream: to serve the Providence community by providing space for families and friends to convene and share a meal,” said Stephen White, co-owner of Res American Bistro with his husband Ryan Whitecotton and their close friend Evan Mathew. “We have been met with such warmth since opening, and we’re looking forward to serving both familiar and new faces this holiday season.”
“The people, our community and customers, are at the heart of what makes Kin special,” said Julia Broome, owner of Kin Southern Table + Bar. “When we opened last year, we weren’t sure what to expect. But the magic of Kin, and Providence generally, is the community, which fiercely supports spaces that provide quality products and experiences. We feel so lucky to be able to share our food with the City.”
Of course, Providence is also home to countless local retail shops with goods for everyone on your holiday list, like Giving Beyond the Box, a local business that curates gift boxes featuring products that carry social missions.
“This holiday season, we are offering six holiday boxes full of products that are from Providence-based artists, RI-based social enterprises, women-owned and women-supporting organizations, RI-based businesses of color, and others,” said Sandra Enos, founder and CEO of Giving Beyond the Box. “We feature local artists, organizations, and businesses, making it easy to shop purposefully while celebrating everything that makes Rhode Island a special place.”
And don’t worry about paying for parking while shopping. Earlier this year, the City of Providence announced efforts to encourage local commerce, including free two-hour parking exclusively in commercial districts from 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM daily through December 31, 2021. On October 1, the City announced its expansion of the program citywide through the end of 2021.
Celebrate together. Support community. Shop local.