The Arcade Providence

I’ve never been here before and this is like a hidden gem right here in Providence. Great food and the shopping is interesting. It is a definite to stop by here when you get a chance.

Was excited to see what this place had to offer. Turned out not much. It was small with not much going on. There was only 1 floor that had shops on it and there were not many shops.

This mall is full of great history and architecture. I was so glad to see them bring new life into the Arcade. There are a lot of charming small shops have opened and are great examples of thriving local businesses. I also stopped in and saw a coffee shop and a eatery that looks to serve some delicious pockets. There is a consignment shop that boosts some name brand stuff, worth a look.
I also find the concept that they are going to use the upper floors as small Loft apartments new and interesting. I would think they would be great for students on the go in the city.
The arcade is small but open, bright and refreshing, I am glad it has a place in downcity.

So, being as I am relatively new to Rhode Island, I only knew the Arcade as being that cool looking abandoned mall on Westminster. I was pretty excited when I found out that they were reopening their doors with an array of new shops and restaurants.
The «new» Arcade is awesome. The blend of shops, restaurants and artisans in the mall offer everything from a vintage hat to a fancy candied apple. I most frequent New Harvest coffee and spirits for their awesome gimlets and snacks.
Whether you’re looking to window shop, find the perfect gift, or grab a drink or dinner, the improved Arcade has a bit of everything in a great location.

4 stars for classy restoration, minus 2 stars for being a ghost «mall»!
Went on a Monday at 6pm & everything besides New Harvest coffee, Rogue Island, & the threading salon was closed! Wtf??? How will this place survive?
I wanted to check out the stores. But couldn’t tell you if they were even good bc it was all closed… On a Monday!
The place is beautifully restored, but The Arcade still needs a major retail make-​over

Totally a fan of the restoration. I remember being inside the Arcade when I was little girl. The attention to detail is fantastic. I appreciate all the natural light that the overhead atrium brings in – wonder what summer will be like in there?
Man, the hallways are cold with the doors opening and closing — but I suppose that can’t be helped. Very nice to see the spaces on the first floor just about full. A mix of home items, clothing, jewelry, food, coffee /​whiskey bar, art, vintage, and personal care. There’s a little bit of everything.
Overall, a gem that’s been restored in the absolute center of downtown. What’s not to love?
PS. The homegood store (sorry that I can’t remember the name.) smells absolutely amazing inside.

Love love love!
Ntrendsic — funky, unique clothing store! The owner is ALWAYS in and she’s just as fabulous as her products. Prices are reasonable! She only orders so many of each size. so you won’t see several folks wearing the same thing you are.
The Rogue — great food, warm/​cozy atmosphere, farm to table food — most sourced from within 65 miles and wonderful service. Wait staff knows their products (food, beer, wine, & spirits) which makes ordering easy. I have a severe shellfish allergy and they were more than accommodating. Lunch starts at 11 and continues till 5 which is when they switch over to dinner service. Laid back atmosphere Sunday — Tuesday, Wednesday — Saturday is more of a fine dining experience. Even at the bar, which fills up quickly! Restaurant turns more casual after 9PM on the weekends! Great stop for somebody on their way to the theatre.
Get Moda — A consignment store with everything from Chloe, Chanel, LV, JCrew, Kate Spade, and Coach. Everything is priced perfectly and the owners always in this store as well!
Livi’s Pockets — scrumptious sandwiches, THAT ARE HUGE in a bubbly and bright environment. Perfect for on the go travel or you can sit down in their dining area. Fresh ingredients and friendly staff!
Noon — has the best deal on honey, 9 $ for locally made. Decent bottle size! Lots of organic stuff, jewelry, home goods, cards, etcetera
Other stores —
Luniac Glamour, Dash, Jewelry by Jessica Ricci (who makes everything by hand in the store) New Harvest, and more!
If you like supporting small businesses, you’ll love this building. Check it out :) it is worth it!

A great addition to the downtown area and a part of history. It is very cute and small. They are opening up some new things soon that look interesting. A worthy stop during a trip downtown.

As of 2014 (well, late 2013, actually) The Arcade is a stunning, much-​needed and very welcome addition to Providence. The fact that this place was once closed down shouldn’t deter you from going (and should certainly keep you from taking into account all those 1-​star reviews that are now moot), as it’s sure to become a celebrated and sought-​after space.
Sure, not all of the storefronts are open, but those that are happen to be filled with lovely local artisans, selling their crafts, wares and trades in top-​notch form. The New Harvest space is lovely — warm, cozy and distinctly Parisian in vibe; Nude is a cozy, thoughtful and sleek space with beautifully curated collections from five local clothing and two local accessory designers that will leave you dreaming of gorgeous hand made items well into your next week. There’s an upholsterer, a consignment boutique, a few jewelers, a bike shop and even a small salon all under the roof a gorgeous, preserved historical building (the first indoor mall in America, to be exact!). Now, I don’t know about you all, but I find that to be something worth celebrating and supporting.
What I love most is that the historical integrity of the building has been preserved, and that makes shopping and perusing The Arcade all the more special. You can feel the history, and I so appreciate that the architects and designers were thoughtful and respectful in their approach to the rebirth of this beautiful space.
The second and third floors are home to micro-​loft living spaces, which I am very curious to see and hear about. Seeing as Westminster Street has seen such a revival over the last decade, I think it’s quite awesome that The Arcade was resurrected rather than left to waste away or, worse yet, be torn down in favor of some cheap new building. I feel like The Arcade represents so much of the heart and soul of what Providence is, or at least what it is to me – a beautiful jewel with so much to offer to those that love it. A unique place with so much history. I am so excited to see the place fill in over the next few months and years, and to see its’ full potential as a gem in our little city.

Really nice to see the oldest mall in America reopen. Cool local business are the main feature. Clothing, art, and jewelry are the main features. There is a coffee shop/​bar I’m looking forward to trying. I checked out the Arcade on opening day and it was still a work in progress. The downstairs is narrow. Making it a bit uncomfortable to walk through but that’s just the design. The second floor isn’t open yet. The micro lofts will be interesting to see. Overall its an exciting step for local businesses in Providence. I hope they do well.

Those who enjoy shopping local, beautiful architecture, or history (or, all of the above) will enjoy spending some time in The Arcade in downtown Providence. In the nineteenth century, this was the nation’s first shopping mall. After being shuttered for the past couple of years, it recently reopened to great fanfare, and is now home to a small collection of locally-​based retailers.
A tour of The Arcade — a light-​filled space that is uniformly designed, right down to the store’s signs — doesn’t take long. At this point, there are still only a handful of stores, though they all offer very unique items (no carbon copy storefronts here). Here, you’ll find a RI-​based jewelry designer whose work evokes exotic travel destinations (Jessica Ricci); a beauty shop/​boutique that carries makeup, clothing and accessories that are all made in RI (Luniac Glamour); a furniture shop selling handmade, classically New England-​styled pieces (That Guy); and a designer collective featuring clothing and handbags that are truly distinctive – and to drive that point home, the clothing can even be customized, with the designers on site to consult (nude).
There’s also a coffee shop with free WiFi that stays open pretty late night (all stores have their own hours; best to check The Arcade’s website before paying a visit, if you want to ensure the fullest experience possible:
).
In the months ahead, The Aracde’s microlofts — small apartments offering residential space inside this amazing old building — will open. The idea of living here, while romantic, sounds pretty claustrophobic to me. As a dedicated shopper, I doubt my life could ever fit into a space less than 600 square feet. Though I’d love to consider myself a minimalist, I think everyone around me knows that’s a big, fat lie. Still, I’d love to get a peek inside this cool, new downtown living option.
My only hope for The Arcade’s retail scene is that it expands a bit more, to include a few stores that are more accessible to all people, and all wallets (fat, thin and my personal favorite: the yo-​yo dieting wallet that sometimes puffs up fat as Cartman, and quickly diminishes to something more closely resembling a stick figure). Nearly every store here stocks what I would consider lovely splurges: so I wonder how much traffic the place will experience during leaner months in between gift-​giving seasons. Two or three more shops offering moderately priced items that still fit into the oeuvre of the place would go a long way in bringing folks in off the street — not only to browse, but more importantly, to buy.
For me, the best part of this lively experiment in modern-​day retail is the fact that really, it’s the very antithesis of «modern.» In fact, it’s very Old World, and that’s what makes it so appealing. The artists and shop owners behind each of these businesses are almost always at their store, greeting new customers, chatting happily about their product, and they are approachable, passionate people who love what they do. Our society has eschewed this kind of shopping experience in favor of big-​box stores that specialize in high volume, anonymous transactions. For this reason, The Arcade might feel like a culture shock, at first. But just go with it, and you’ll quickly sense the difference, while doing your part to help the city grow in the right direction. You may never shop the mall again.

We appropriately feted the re-​opening of this historical treasure. I’ll be able to provide a more informed review once the micro-​lofts and the additional stores open. The coffee shop and the bike store were both charming. There is a purveyor of very fine (and expensive) coats from England. He was about as delightful as Britons come, and we had a thoroughly enjoyable experience trying on Barbour coats (which, believe it or not, are at the lower end of what he offers). I do hope that Providence can sustain such a high-​end haberdashery. Finally, a very talented young woman, on the Westminster side, opened a jewelry shop. She creatively engages with her time abroad, and incorporates Latin sayings into her work. Talking with her was similarly fascinating — her work is unique and very reasonably priced.

The new Arcade providence preserves a national historic landmark and enhances it with a modern concept. The first floor of the nation’s oldest indoor shopping mall has cute retail shops and restaurants, while the second and third floors will be home to residents of 48 micro-​lofts – small, efficiently designed living spaces.
A great highlight… no pun intended is the beautiful Center hallway atrium. This atrium serves as the main thoroughfare for foot traffic between Weybosset and Westminster streets.
Currently a nice coffee shop, a bike shop and several clothing and jewelry retail business are open and bustling with customers.