Dear Arthur and friends,
The rumor of a Super Wal-Mart moving to Newport Avenue on the Pawtucket-East Providence line will not die, after about two years of speculation.
About one year ago, the Providence Journal published a story that the Wal-Mart rumors were not true.
On the other hand, a local merchant, who is in the grocery business, says the existing Stop & Shop and all the other stores in Narragansett Plaza will be demolished by the Wal-Mart Corporation at the end of 2009. All stores will be demolished except for Bally's Health.
However, what makes this rumor plausible seems to be the rerouting of Rhode Island Public Transit buses which now travel from Providence, East Providence, to Pawtucket all the route north to the South Attleboro border. Wal-Mart seems to incur a habit of rerouting bus routes and renting the publicity signs on RIPTA buses, as Providence buses indicate.
Another factor that makes the rumor possible, says the source, seems to be the age and condition of the Newport Avenue Stop & Shop store, almost 30 years old. The move of Stop & Shop into the former Ro-Jack's in Seekonk on Route 152, will offset the loss of the Newport Avenue store.
According to my source, the Super Wal-Mart construction originally was meant at the nearby Burlington Coat plaza that contains Aldi's Supermarket. However, what held up the construction was the refusal of one key business to sell its property.
However, Councilman Henry Kinch Jr. said recently Lowe's desired the property. On the other hand, my source said that neither Lowe's nor Home Depot possess financing to expand their store facilities.
Would someone please contact Barney Heath at the City Planning office or Henry Kinch or John Barry to forever confirm or deny this Wal-Mart rumor. If the rumor is true, would Newport Avenue need expansion?
Peace, Jim
