Benny’s Automotive
A local-chain tire and automotive parts outlet with four car-wide drive-through bays on a local retail corridor.
Images of this Property
7 images: Press to view larger or scroll sideways to see more.
About this Property
#Last Tenant
Benny’s was a home-grown chain of hardware/homeware stores throughout Rhode Island — it was home to “a little bit of everything.” It started in 1924 with a storefront on Fountain Street, Downtown Providence. They survived big-box and online competition until October 2017, when the last of their stores closed. It wasn’t a going-out-of-business story as much as it was a retirement story. The retail landscape shifted so much, and the stores were not growing their reach. A younger generation did not have the same affinity for locally-owned, quirky, low-bottom-line retail.
A great ode to Benny’s was written by Barry Fain for East Side Monthly.
Architecture
The building itself is an “L” shaped box — nothing terribly interesting. The huge letters adorning the front and back of the building are great, though. We also love the small white, silver, and red tiles.
#Current Events
The site has been vacant since 2017. It is still in pretty good condition as Carpionato Properties seeks a new tenant.
#History
No formal history. The property shows up on an aerial photograph from 1972, and the previous photo from 1962 shows different structures.