Mobee’s Music World, Pie in the Sky, EG Photography, Anime Crash. I’d bet most of these names are unfamiliar to you. Just a few decades ago, however, Brown students walked past these stores every day. In 2000, Thayer Street was filled with an eclectic mix of locally-owned businesses: vinyl and CD shops, jewelry boutiques, video game retailers and vintage accessory stores. It also was home to a few big name brands — Gap, CVS and Dunkin’, to name a few — but overall, Thayer was unique. You could only find this specific retail ecosystem in Providence, Rhode Island.
Thayer is different now. Only 11 stores that were there in 2000 exist today. The majority have been replaced by grab-and-go restaurants and large chains such as Chipotle, Shake Shack, Insomnia Cookies, Ben & Jerry’s and Caffe Nero. As a result, Thayer has more of a corporate vibe, making the street feel less connected to Brown’s institutional identity. Preserving what’s left requires intentional choices from the people who use the street every day. It’s on us to support Thayer’s longstanding local businesses before they disappear too.
On a global scale, local retailers have been driven out of business — and Thayer is no different. The rise of online shopping has hurt brick-and-mortar retailers who cannot compete with the ease and accessibility of online shopping. In fact, over the past decade, Americans now frequent in-person stores 62% less than they used to which is paired with a 111% rise in online shopping. The next time you buy something online, consider checking out Thayer Street first…