When I moved to Providence in 2007, I thought it would be a short stint – five years max.  However, when it was time to move over a decade later, I had a hard time leaving the city. My homebase was on the West Side of Providence.  Over the years, the neighborhood changed and grew, and while some of the businesses that I loved closed up, the overall vintage and hipster vibe of the neighborhood has stayed constant. 

While the West Side doesn’t have any classic tourist destinations – and is a little gritty at times – walking around the neighborhood to enjoy the colorful architecture, small stores, hidden eateries, and unique bars is a nice way to spend an afternoon. 

The two main streets of the West Side are Broadway & Westminster, and both work as starting points for exploring the neighborhood.  

Broadway is a wide street with Victorian gothic buildings on either side. Built in the late 1800s, the mansions were the residence of the local factory owners and store owners. Many have been converted into offices or condos, but some still remain as single family dwellings. Two notable houses are Barnaby Castle and the Wedding Cake House.

Owner Jerothmul B. Barnaby added his own eccentric touches to Stone, Carpenter & Willson’s design to make his house into a self appointed castle. Details such as a copper conservatory, a four story conical tower with an open porch at the top, and arched stained glass windows have been refurbished over the last decade.  I was lucky enough to witness the detail that went into the renovation of this house – including talking to the artist who was hand painting the interior walls and architectural details while attending an open house sponsored by Doors Open RI (the Pandemic halted these events, and I’m really hoping that the organization will continue to put together programs that allow the public to learn about these historic spaces in the future).  Don’t forget to look around the corner on Sutton St. for Barnaby’s carriage house, which still boasts a functional carriage lift.  

At the other end of Broadway is the Wedding Cake House, named after the intricate details along its rooflines and windows of its three stories. In 2000, Dirt Palace acquired the house and set about a three year renovation with the vision of a feminist artist-run space. Today it offers part time residencies to artists, public artist talks, a bed & breakfast, and a storefront gallery in nearby Olneyville square. 

Another iconic building on Broadway is The Columbus Theatre. Opened in 1926, the Beaux-Arts theatre began its career as a movie and Vaudeville performance center.  However, as the neighborhood changed, so did the theatre – after WWII the films transformed into Arthouse; in the 1970s they shifted to pornography. The theatre transformed again in 2012 as it reopened as a live music and theatre production stage. The Columbus still maintains the grand atmosphere of the 1920s with an elaborate hand painted mural by George DeFlice called “The Music Sensation” arching around the main stage and a gold plated dome in the center of the space.  There is also a small gallery space just outside the lobby that regularly hosts pop up shops and art installations. 

Broadway doesn’t have a large selection of shops and eateries, but the ones that are there are some of my favorites in the city.  Transport yourself back in time with the the rotating window display of vintage wares at Rocket to Mars, spend some time shuffling through the records at Armageddon Records, take a breather as the tea hourglass timer counts down at Schastea, indulge in croissants and baked goods at Seven Stars Bakery, add your message to the scrapbook at the end of a great meal at Broadway Bistro, or try to guess the movie playing in the bathroom at Julian’s.

Tucked behind Broadway near Seven Stars Bakery is Luongo Square. Don’t miss checking out the beautifully carved woodwork and dark ambiance of The Avery. From there, follow the cobblestones of West Fountain street to a collection of tiny gems like Tricycle Ice Cream, The Slow Rhode, and Y Noodle Bar. 

Over on Westminster Street, the quirky finds at the Frog and Toad gift shop, rich brews of White Electric Coffee Co-op, and unique slices of Pizza J continue the electric vibe of the neighborhood. It’s a little walk down the street to hit Ogie’s Trailer Park, but the vintage decor both inside and on their side patio, along with snacks from Granny Boo’s kitchen, are worth a stop. 

A block away is Dexter Training Grounds.  Here, the historic Cranston Street Armory –  which will hopefully soon be renovated – watches over a large park.  Built in 1907, the Armory once housed the Rhode Island National Guard. The four story building is adorned in yellow brink and reddish granite in the Romanesque style and is flanked by two six-story towers. While the building has been vacant since the 1980s and on many “most endangered” lists, it has most recently been one of the filming locations of the James L. Brooks’ film Ella McCay. 

Just a block away from the Dexter Park is Hudson Street Deli. A walk over here for a delicious sandwich will take you past the beautiful Victorian architecture that dominates the West Side neighborhood. It is the colorful tapestry of the buildings and people that make this neighborhood a place that I was happy to call home. 

Throughout the year, WBNA (West Broadway Neighborhood Association) hosts community events like farmer’s markets, concerts, community nights; and annual events like West Side Caroling, Festival of Lights and the Gardens Festival. As I mentioned at the beginning, the West Side is more of a neighborhood than anything else, and the WBNA (housed in an old gas station on Westminster) has been integral in making the area community focused.