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April 21, 2008

Ryan's Market, a Wickford institution, closes doors

NORTH KINGSTOWN — Ryan’s Market, a family-owned business that has survived 10 recessions and the Great Depression, closed Saturday, its future uncertain.

A throwback to an earlier time, the 122-year-old business featured hand-carved aged beef, naked fluorescent bulbs and bag boys who walked customers to their cars.

“In small towns there are certain things that are a part of your life, and they’re very reassuring" because they never change, said Carole Byers, the town’s canvassing authority supervisor and a customer for 50 years. On Friday, Byers bought a beef and broccoli dinner at the Brown Street store. “It’s an institution. It’s very sad.”

The store will hold an inventory sale later this week. After that, “it’s up in the air” whether the store will reopen, be renovated or sold, a store spokesman said yesterday.

The owner, E.J. Ryan, put the building up for sale about a year ago, and in recent months the amount of stock has dwindled. Last Friday, some shelves were empty and a dairy case was papered over. Today, a sign on the door said, simply, “Sorry, We’re CLOSED.” Bundled newspapers sat on the front concrete steps.

The store closed with no fanfare, and some customers today were surprised to find it dark and empty.

“It’s a terrible shame,” said Newport shopper Glenna Kalen, who stood at the locked door at 10:30 in the morning, an hour after Ryan’s usually opens. Kalen said she loved the store’s small lamb roasts –– “just big enough for two people” –– and scrapple, a Pennsylvania specialty that includes cornmeal mush made with pork meat, broth and onions.

The closing is the second this spring in the historic village, which hugs a sheltered harbor midway between the Narragansett town line and the old Quonset Navy base.

-- Journal staff writer Paul Davis

Last month, owner Ugur Yilmaz closed Wickford Gourmet, a landmark store known for its gourmet spices, specialty cheeses and gift baskets.

Both stores acted as anchors for the strip of boutique stores, offices and restaurants on Brown, Main and West Main Streets.

Karla Driscoll, director of the North Kingstown Chamber of Commerce, said the closings will only be temporary. “I don’t think it will have a long-term effect,” she said. “I’m optimistic both locations will be open by summer.”

Posted by Andrea Panciera at 4:33 PM | Permalink

Comments

I am just heart broken that Ryan's closed there doors. It was the best market in the state and, maybe beyond.
I think it was maybe the last of it"s kind.

Patricia Lemoine | May 5, 2008 11:33 AM link

This is a sign of the times. RI is spinning in to a fiscal cess pool! Businesses are closing becasue they cannot sustain a profit in a climate of high business taxes, income taxes, sales taxes, and sky high insurance rates. This is just the tip of the RI iceberg.

George | May 5, 2008 4:11 PM link

I AM SO SADDEN TO HEAR RYAN'S MARKET HAS CLOSED. I HAVE SHOPPED AT RYANS "FOREVER." WE ARE LIVING IN SARATOGA SPRINGS RIGHT NOW, BUT I LOOKED FORWARD TO SEEING THE RYAN "BOYS" (AND GIRLS) YOUNG AND OLD WHEN I RETURN.

MY BEST TO EACH OF YOU RYANS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PERSONAL TOUCH WITH EACH OF YOUR CUSTOMERS, GENERATION AFTER GENERATION.

SINCERELY, MARY BLUE HEWITT

MARY BLUE HEWITT | May 11, 2008 8:04 PM link

April 21, 2008

Ryan's Market, a Wickford institution, closes doors

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