Market fits downtown community

With a background in finance, Salma Elboulaaidi knows the importance of a diverse portfolio, which plays into her business approach at Empire Market LLC in Providence.

“We want to offer a little bit of everything,” Elboulaaidi said.

Elboulaaidi, originally from Morocco, came to Rhode Island nearly four years ago to study for her MBA, with a concentration in finance, at Johnson & Wales University.

After graduating last May, she found herself enamored with the city, so she decided to stay and start her own business. The Empire Street store opened last November and offers a wide variety of options, from groceries and sandwiches to jewelry and smoking equipment.

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Elboulaaidi also offers up her space to artists who want to show their work for free.

“We’re trying to support local artists,” she said. “We’re want to support the community because we’re a part of the community.” •

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