Rory's Market and Kitchen
A New Grocery and Eatery Opens in Downcity
Many a small child loves to play at running a restaurant or market, and for Rory Eames it was her real life. Her mother, Darby Ziruk, opened a “natural foods” market in 1978, in Dennis Port, Massachusetts, and Eames spent her childhood at the store. Now, with another store in Mashpee and a brand-new store in Providence, her three daughters (ages 15, 2 and 5 months) are experiencing the same “training.”
After her mother’s retirement and her purchase of the business in 2019, Eames thought it a “natural progression” to open a store in an urban spot. She also wanted to “work around the seasonal challenges of being on the Cape.” Thus, she values the “year-round setting” in Providence and “being in a community where people live and work.”
She aims to be a full-service natural convenience grocer, with an emphasis on organic and local products. Rory’s Market and Kitchen draws on regional farms for the volume they require, but Eames is seeking more Rhody resources, such as Old Stone Orchard and Dave’s Coffee. Because of her long-time relationship with Pain D’Avignon (Hyannis), the Providence store offers that bread and Dave’s Killer Bread (Portland, Oregon). The market also stocks supplements with Rory’s private label, the better to guarantee quality and price, according to Eames.
“We have a lot of ‘discovery brands’ among the natural and organic products,” she notes, “and we have a funkier mix of small companies. We’re seeking ‘foodie’ interest in new experiences.”
Eames added the “kitchens” to the Cape markets in 2014, with grab-and-go sandwiches and juices, and, in 2017, more sandwiches, full-size salads, super-fruit bowls, smoothies and coffee beverages. All of that is on the Providence menu, and customer favorites include the spicy chicken sandwich, the turkey chili and the pink drinks (made with tropical dragon fruit).
Eames’s energy and enthusiasm are boundless: “We want to make this a destination for customers from all over Providence and Rhode Island!”
Rory’s Market and Kitchen
113 Washington St., Providence
401.429.0092; LoveRorys.com
Open daily
