Owner of “The District” on Importance of Community to Small Businesses

“The District” restaurant on South Street

Jennifer Freitas, owner of The District restaurant in the Jewelry District, wrote a guest column in Providence Business News in December highlighting the struggles faced by small businesses during the pandemic and the importance of community. She mentions the neighborhood and the JDA specifically:

When I started my restaurant on South Street in Providence more than three years ago, I wanted to have a restaurant that reflected the changing dynamics within the Jewelry District. I also wanted a place where newcomers would quickly become regulars. I’m so proud of how we have grown and thrived as the neighborhood has changed around us.

Freitas also calls attention to the wonderful weekend street closures we had to support outdoor dining, and to peer businesses in the district:

I am so grateful for my neighbor at Xaco Taco for their support and advocacy. Xaco Taco supported our initiative to close the street on weekends so we could provide outside live music during weekend dining hours. Those extra tables made a difference for us, our employees, as well as the local musicians that we employed.

You can read the full column on PBN’s website (paywalled).