Business

A new farm and garden supply store on the West Side of Providence has become a source of neighborhood controversy.  Residents rallied Sunday in support of the business called Cluck!.

About a hundred people sipped coffee and munched on scones at the Sunday morning rally.  They were there to support a new store that aims to supply small growers and chicken farmers in the city.  Community member Alice Danahy says the storefront, which used to be an abandoned gas station, was an eyesore.

The state’s economy cooled down in the first two months of this year. That’s according to a University of Rhode Island economist. The slowdown comes just as the state’s economy was starting to get its mojo back.

URI professor Len Lardaro said a wide swath of the state’s economy was starting to cook during the back half of last year. But in January and February, that growth cooled off. Lardaro said sluggish retail sales and an uptick in unemployment claims have him worried.

Providence Business News Editor Mark Murphy joins Rhode Island Public Radio's Dave Fallon for a weekly business segment we're calling "The Bottom Line." Each Friday it looks at business news and themes that affect local business and the public.

Electric Boat is looking to expand its footprint at the Quonset Point shipyard. Electric Boat spokesman Bob Hamilton said discussions are preliminary at this point, but he said space will be needed for the construction of two, Virginia-class submarines and other work for the U.S. Navy.

“We expect to need some space for the Navy’s Moored Training Ships, which we’re involved with,” said Hamilton, “as well as the Ohio replacement, which is the next class of submarine.”

Hamilton said sequestration cuts will have a minimal impact on Electric Boat’s submarine building work.

Flip through catalogs for J.C. Penney, Restoration Hardware or Pottery Barn and you could see a braided rug for sale. You might assume that rug was made overseas, but there’s a good chance it was made in Pawtucket. As part of our on-going series, Made in Rhode Island, Catherine Welch visited Colonial Mills where thousands of braided rugs are shipped out of Pawtucket to major chain stores across the country.