Legacy Businesses
In an effort to protect and celebrate the city’s cultural and commercial heritage, the Providence Preservation Society has begun compiling a list of legacy businesses. These long-standing establishments — from family-run restaurants to bookstores to traditional trades businesses — are essential to the fabric and life of our city.
Amid a changing urban landscape and mounting commercial pressures, we want to celebrate these businesses that have withstood the test of time. PPS invites the submissions of the businesses we’ve missed and we encourage residents to share their memories of these storefronts using the Google Form here.
100+ Years of Business
Havenbro’s (Est. 1893)
Virginia & Spanish Peanut Co. (Est. 1913)
Visit Virginia & Spanish Peanut Co: 260 Dexter St, Providence, RI 02907
Scialo Bros. Bakery (Est. 1916)
Visit Scialo Bros: 257 Atwells Ave, Providence, RI 02903
Adler’s Design Center & Hardware (Est. 1919)
The Butcher Shop, Incorporated (Est. 1924)
Visit The Butcher Shop: 157 Elmgrove Ave, Providence, RI 02906
75+ Years of Business
Baba’s Original New York System (Est. 1927)
Bell Funeral Home (Est. 1932)
Big Blue Bug Solutions (Est. 1935)
The Big Blue bug itself was built in 1980
Silver Star Bakery (Est. 1935)
The Avon (Est. 1938)
Louis Family Restaurant (Est. 1946)
John’s New York System (Est. 1948)
Visit John’s New York System: 326 Cranston St, Providence, RI 02907
Friends Market (Est. c. 1949)
Visit Friends Market: 126 Brook St, Providence, RI 02906
50+ Years of Business
Tony’s Colonial Food (Est. 1952)
Clark’s Auto Service, Inc. (Est. 1952)
Visit Clark’s: 33 Seabury St, Providence, RI 02907
Dairy King (Est. 1953)
Hodosh Dental (Est. 1954)
Coletta’s Downtown Auto Service, Inc. (Est. 1957)
D’Ambra Auto Sales (Est. 1958)
Visit D’Ambra Auto Sales: 169 Elmwood Ave, Providence, RI 02907
Mt. Pleasant Hardware (Est. 1959)
Visit Mt. Pleasant Hardware: 249 Academy Ave, Providence, RI 02908
Lang’s Bowlarama, Inc. (Est. 1960)
Griggs & Browne (Est. 1961)
Sterling Cleansers (Est. 1961)
Visit Sterling Cleansers: 288 Cranston St, Providence, RI 02907
The Sandwich Hut (Est. 1963)
Visit The Sandwich Hut: 1253 N Main St, Providence, RI 02904
Antonelli Poultry (Est. 1975)
Visit Antonelli Poultry: 62 De Pasquale Ave, Providence, RI 02903
25+ Years of Business
Geoff’s Superlative Sandwiches (Est. 1970s)
Capriccio’s (Est. 1977)
Pastiche (Est. 1983)
Coffee Exchange (Est. 1984)
Visit Coffee Exchange: 207 Wickenden St, Providence, RI 02903
Meeting Street Cafe (Est. 1984)
Visit Meeting Street Cafe: 220 Meeting St, Providence, RI 02906
Hemenway’s (Est. 1985)
Snookers (Est. 1989)
Simple Pleasures (Est. 1992)
Visit Simple Pleasures: 6 Richmond Square, Providence, RI 02906
Books on the Square (Est. 1992)
Visit Books on the Square: 471 Angell Street, Providence, RI 02906
Mi Guatemala Restaurant (Est. 1994)
Paper Nautilus Books (Est. 1996)
Visit Books on the Square: 19 South Angell St, Providence, RI 02906