Downtown Newport businesses report mixed results from Volvo

FROM LEFT, Volvo Ocean Race CEO Knut Frostad, his daughter Pernilla, Congressman David N. Cicilline, Gov. Gina M. Raimondo, R.I. DEM Director Janet Coit, and state Senate President M. Teresa Paiva Weed cut the ribbon to the new North Pier at Fort Adams during the opening ceremony for the Volvo Ocean Race Newport Race Village last week. In the background is Sail Newport Executive Director Brad Read. / COURTESY DAN NERNEY/SAIL NEWPORT/VOLVO OCEAN RACE NEWPORT
FROM LEFT, Volvo Ocean Race CEO Knut Frostad, his daughter Pernilla, Congressman David N. Cicilline, Gov. Gina M. Raimondo, R.I. DEM Director Janet Coit, and state Senate President M. Teresa Paiva Weed cut the ribbon to the new North Pier at Fort Adams during the opening ceremony for the Volvo Ocean Race Newport Race Village last week. In the background is Sail Newport Executive Director Brad Read. / COURTESY DAN NERNEY/SAIL NEWPORT/VOLVO OCEAN RACE NEWPORT

NEWPORT – Since May 5, thousands of visitors have flocked to the Volvo Ocean Race Village at Fort Adams State Park, but downtown merchants said they had mixed experiences in welcoming the tourists.
“We are seeing more customers,” said Karen King, owner of Style Newport on Thames Street. “[The Volvo] has been a boost to our business as well as the town. It’s not just sailors. It’s been a fun energy in town. We’ve had sailors’ families with people following [the race] around the world. With social media I feel so connected, we feel like we know the teams.”
According to Sail Newport, approximately 68,000 visitors had descended on the Volvo as of Thursday.
Others, however, said visitors headed down Thames Street toward Fort Adams but did not return downtown to shop or dine out.
“It’s killing us,” said Patricia Vecchione, owner of Designer Jewelry, also on Thames Street, even though “it’s wonderful that we have it.”
Vecchione and Kim Cooper, store manager of the Spice & Tea Exchange of Newport, also on Thames Street, said they weren’t seeing an increase in customers or revenue, and sensed that once visitors got to the state park, they stayed there. If they did return, it was after shops like theirs had closed, they said.
Vecchione stayed open later, until 8 p.m., on the weekend, but because Cooper didn’t see customers, she closed at 7 p.m., her regular time, she said.
King’s store sells nautical jewelry and won first place in a storefront display contest welcoming the Volvo that was hosted by the Newport Chamber of Commerce. On the weekend, she stayed open until 10 p.m. Saturday instead of the usual 7, and until 8 Sunday instead of 6 p.m., she said.
“It’s worth it,” she said. “There have been a lot of people stopping on their way to dinner and back. The town was busier than it’d be on a typically weekend before Memorial Day.”
Jane Roggero, operations manager for the Newport Chamber of Commerce, said, “The members we’ve spoken to have been very happy with the crowds. I’ve been told on the weekend downtown Newport was packed. Nobody here has heard anything negative. All we can do is hope that things will be better. We expect the weekend to be very busy.”
While Designer Jewelry is not a chamber member, the other two businesses are.
Roggero added that while the first week of the Volvo may have been “tough” for some storeowners, since mid-week, there have been more corporate guests for regattas, in-port races and other events.
“I think retailers will see an increase in business now that these types of events are starting to occur,” she said.
Cooper said Thursday business did seem to be picking up, and she might adjust her hours into the weekend as a result.

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1 COMMENT

  1. Our offices are right at Thames and Memorial and have seen both pedestrian and vehicular traffic pick up tremendously. Have the Volvo boats in port has been terrific and any opinion to the contrary seems like sour grapes to me.
    Ross Cann, AIA, LEED AP
    A4 Architecture Inc.