Elorza encourages shopping local, announces free parking for holidays

Mayor Jorge Elorza joined Riffraff bookstore and bar co-owner Thomas Roberge, Development Director of Armory Revival Seth Zeren and the Director of Business and Development Michael Solomon and local business owners and community members to relaunch a holiday shopping initiative. Photo by Tessa Roy, WPRO News

By WPRO News

As the holiday shopping season approaches, Mayor Jorge Elorza relaunched #ThinkPVD, an initiative aimed at encouraging shoppers to buy their gifts at Providence’s local businesses.

“I know it’s really easy to buy something on Amazon and it’s easy to go to the big box stores, but it’s a much more enjoyable experience if you’re actually walking down some of our main streets, if you’re going to Hope Street, if you’re going to Broad Street, if you’re going down Valley, if you’re going down Charles, to support our small businesses,” Elorza said.

The initiative comes with a perk: Shoppers can get two hours of free parking every day from 10:00am until 9:00pm beginning Friday, November 23, 2018 through Tuesday, January 1, 2019 at the following locations:

  • Atwells Avenue – Bradford Street to Knight Street
  • Spruce Street – Dean Street to Acorn Street
  • Dean Street – Atwells Avenue to West Exchange Street
  • Acorn Street – Spruce Street to Atwells Avenue
  • Bradford Street – Atwells Avenue to Jones Street
  • Bond Street – Atwells Avenue to Spruce Street
  • Broad Street – Public Street to Montgomery Street
  • Downtown Providence – bounded by Fountain Street, Memorial Boulevard, Weybosset Street, Empire Street and Friendship Street (from Dyer Street to Dorrance Street)
  • Hope Street – Rochambeau Avenue to Blackstone Boulevard
  • North Main Street – Thomas Street to Park Row
  • Olneyville Square – Route 10 to Sydney Street and Delaine Street to Atwood Street to Magnolia Street
  • South Main Street – James Street to Packet Street
  • Point Street – From Eddy to East Franklin Street
  • Thayer Street – Bowen Street to Waterman Street
  • Wayland Square – East Angell Street/Angell Street to Gano Street and Wayland Avenue from Angell Street to Pitman Street
  • Wickenden/Ives – Wickenden Street at Benefit Street to Ives Street at Preston Street

Elorza encouraged shoppers to share their experiences on social media with the #ThinkPVD hashtag.

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