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« Kluth trial: 84-year-old describes how she lost $100 | Today | Update: Tony Marcella, former aide to Kennedys, dies » March 12, 2008Wickford Gourmet shutters its doorsNORTH KINGSTOWN -- There’s a typewritten “Closed” sign on the door of Wickford Gourmet. Inside, a chalkboard still offers a 30-percent discount on the entire stock -- between Feb. 21 and 24. But the cupboards that once held gourmet spices and crackers are bare, and the owners of the yellow building at 21 West Main St., long known for its specialty cheeses and gift baskets, say the store they sold in 2005 to Ugur Yilmaz has been closed for two weeks. “He just didn’t make a go of it, I guess,” said Donna Dube, who with her husband, Joe, still owns the building that housed the store. “It’s kind of sad. I think he was a little overwhelmed.” Telephone calls to Wickford Gourmet do not connect, and a recording says the number has been suspended. Telephone numbers for the business on file at North Kingstown Town Hall also do not connect. A Web site still lists Wickford Gourmet as being home of the Wickford Brownie, a place where cooking classes are held and gift baskets sold. But less than a year after that brownie was featured on TV’s Rachael Ray Show, the store has gone dark. Karla Driscoll, director of the North Kingstown Chamber of Commerce, said she has fielded inquiries asking if the shop was going to reopen, “but we really have no information.” The store was no longer a chamber member, she said, having suspended its membership “a few months ago.”
“It’s very surprising,” said Karen Lucas, owner of the Hour Glass, next door at 15 West Main St. “I’m hoping they’ll reopen it,” because with the loss of Wickford Gourmet, and with the shop G. Willakers relocated to Ten Rod Road, there’s less foot traffic at her end of town. “But there are a lot of positive things going on in the village,” she said. “We have 22 merchants who pooled a lot of money to market it,” and there are upcoming tourist guides and advertising.” The Dubes, founders of Wickford Gourmet and Wickford Gourmet Kitchen and Table, sold the two stores to Yilmaz in 2005. Last fall, Yilmaz sold off the kitchen-and-table end of the business to Christopher and Ann Cobb. Wickford Gourmet was launched in 1982 as a specialty foods, kitchenwares and cheese store that eventually added takeout foods, along with a café offering soups, salads and sandwiches. The store also offered croissants, pastries, pates, breads, and cured meats. In July 1984, a fire that started in a food freezer destroyed much of the shop’s interior, but the Dubes re-opened by October of that year. In 1994, Rhode Island Monthly listed Wickford Gourmet as the best place to buy cheese, and a picnic to go, saying it had “everything you could ask for, fabulous food with a big dose of class.” Last spring, Wickford Gourmet made the news when its Wickford Brownie was introduced on the syndicated Rachael Ray Show as the Snack of the Day, and samples were given out to audience members. But yesterday, the store was shut tight, though chalkboards overlooking an outdoor patio still listed an albacore melt sandwich and curried chicken salad, along with chocolate truffle bomb, apple macaroons, and that Wickford Brownie. Donna Dube said she hopes to have a new food business in the building, which sits low and close to the sidewalk, by spring. Behind the meat counter at nearby Ryan’s Market today, Dolores Hannan said Wickford Gourmet had been closed for almost a month. “I was disappointed that the gourmet shop was closed, because I loved that place,” Hannan said. “They had some fine stuff in there. Different. [Things] you couldn’t get anywhere else. Cheeses, and their mousse. “But a lot of businesses are going down.” Posted by Mike McKinney CommentsKatie | March 12, 2008 7:38 PM link That is really too bad. I hope a similar store opens in the same place soon. karen anne | March 13, 2008 7:00 AM link I grew up in RI,and now I live in California. When I go home, one of the places on my list to visit was the Wickford Gourmet. A place so cheery and heartful. I hope that it is reopened, Wickford won't be the same without it. Thanks to all those that kept the Wickford Gourmet alive for all these years. Chaffee | April 26, 2008 1:46 AM link I lived in Rhode Island for a while, and the Wickford Gourmet was my favorite place to shop and continued to come back year after year after I moved to get my yearly fill of the great items that they had offered. It is very sad that they have closed, and I do hope that someone will take the reins and make it great again sometime soon! Michelle | May 14, 2008 8:35 AM link Post a commentPlease be civil. Vicious comments, personal attacks and profanity won't be published. Name and email are required; email address will not publish. |
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ProJo 9 to 5 News Blog
Oct 2005 - March 2006
I spent a summer working at Wickford Gourmet and what a fun time that was! The company, the customers, and especially the food... taste testing was always fun. Sad to lose another icon.