Residents of historic Wickford village in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, are expressing concerns about plans for a Dollar Tree discount store to replace the former Walgreens drug store. Wickford was named a “Best Historic Small Town in America” by USA Today crowdsource voting in 2019. The area is famous for its large collection of 18th-century homes that form one of the largest in the Northeast, and for its well-protected natural harbor. Members of the Wickford Village Design Guidelines Committee have said they can only regulate the outside appearance of retail establishments. Some residents have expressed worry that a Dollar Tree store would detract from the boutique feel of the village.
Palmer Beebe, chairman of the committee, suggested that it was possible for the property owners, Walgreen Eastern Co., Inc., could lease the property to Dollar Tree, Inc. The property is assessed and appraised for nearly $2 million. It sold for the same amount in 2018 to Walgreen Eastern.
Meanwhile, in Narragansett, the Narragansett Chamber of Commerce will celebrate International Yoga Day with a special event on June 21 from 4-7:30 p.m. at Kinney Bungalow on Sunset Farm. Health and wellness practitioners, authors, and vendors will attend to discuss yoga practices and other mental health wellness services. The event is sponsored by the Narragansett Chamber of Commerce.
In South Kingstown, two long-established Rhode Island companies, Green Line Apothecary and Sweenor’s Chocolates, have collaborated to produce a new ice cream flavor – Buttercrunch Ice Cream – which will be available for sale at Green Line’s Providence and Wakefield locations. Buttercrunch candy has been one of Sweenor’s most popular confections since 1956, when it was created by Sweenor’s founder, Walter Sweenor. Hand-crafted using the same recipe for nearly seven decades, the candy is made with pure butter toffee that is then coated with chocolate and almonds. Through research, development and tasting sessions with the Sweenor family, Green Line Apothecary created an ice cream that embodies both the rich history and taste of Sweenor’s Buttercrunch candy.