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By Elyse Major

Rise ‘n Shine Coffee Bar Cafe

We’re on the hunt for Rhody Gems! Every neighborhood has that secret, hidden, cool and unusual, or hole-in-the-wall spot that locals love. Email or tag us on social media using #RhodyGem to suggest yours, and we might just feature it!

What it is:

A co ee house serving richly brewed organic Brazilian co ee, organic lattes, unique signature drinks, and a daily selection of fresh pastries and donuts.

Where to find it:

Find Rise ‘n Shine on street level of the Christopher Dodge Carriage House in a little-known enclave at the base of Smith Hill. A sign that says “co ee” signals you’ve arrived.

What makes it a Rhody Gem?

In addition to its highly skilled baristas and a well-appointed espresso bar, this charming space beckons conversation and lingering. Inspired by craftsmen and artisans, a cobbler theme celebrates the former use of the space in the 1950s while also honoring the trade of owner Neal Kaplan’s great grandfather who was a cobbler in New York City. A two-seat shoe shine stand in the cafe was crafted for the shop replicating the stand that used to sit in the old Providence train station. “The building and cafe were recognized in the fall of 2022 with a Neighborhood Gem Award by the Providence Preservation Society,” says Kaplan. “Our baristas share in business management, bringing their ideas and insights daily. It is truly a collective e ort and we are thankful to be part of community building inside and outside the shop. We hope people find us and keep coming back!”

Rise ‘n Shine Coffee Bar

97 Holden Street • 340-5112

RiseNShineRI.com, @RiseNShineCo eeBar

Blessed are the Humble

Remembering former Police Chief Hugh Clements’ legacy as Providence prepares for a new chief

It was the late ‘80s. My cousin Bunny Fain and I had just unlocked the front door of Fain’s Carpets on North Main Street and were about to start the day as we often did, sharing some morning co ee as we tried to solve the world’s problem one by one. The large window in my o ce looked out onto the sales floor where we noticed a man dressed in a two-piece running suit entering the store. After a quick look around, he went to a pile of small oriental rugs, picked up as many as he could carry, put them under his arms, and raced out the door with us in pursuit.

By the time we got outside, all we could see was the thief jumping into a beat-up car driven by an accomplice and speeding o down the street. We looked at each in disbelief.

“What just happened?” “Just another day in the o ce,” Bunny joked. We called the police to report the theft, gave them a description of the car as best we could, and returned to solving those world problems.

Much to our surprise, about an hour later, we got a call from the police that they’d caught the thief! A young patrolman showed up at our front door with our rugs under his arms. Over a cup of coffee, he explained he’d seen the two men going into Fidas Restaurant on Valley Street in a car that matched the description the police had sent out. Fancy oriental rugs in the back seat? Something didn’t look right.

“Is there anything we can do to say thanks?” we asked. He smiled, “Nope, just doing my job.”

In those days I was splitting my time pretty evenly between Fain’s and being the editor/ publisher of East Side Monthly newspaper, so I did have a way to say thank you. In the paper’s next issue, I wrote a small blurb reporting what had occurred and the fine police work that had provided a happy ending.

The young patrolman was Hugh Clements.

Over the years, it’s been gratifying to follow his steady rise up the ranks from patrolman to detective to upper management and finally as the respected – perhaps beloved is an even better word – Police Chief of Providence. And now, with his appointment to a new position with the Department of Justice in Washington as its head of community policing, his rise up the ranks continues to accelerate.

Whenever I have had the pleasure of bumping into the chief, we always laugh and fondly recall our first meeting. This is part of what makes him such a special leader. Despite his well-deserved praise as perhaps the best police chief Providence has ever had, he has never lost his sense of humility and commitment to professionalism that has fueled it.

Clements’ recent appointment of Oscar Perez, an outspoken advocate for the current community policing model, as the city’s new Deputy Chief and Major has been widely praised. Mayor Smiley has consistently and unambiguously confirmed his commitment to community policing as well.

We only hope that whomever the Mayor brings in to be his new chief will be allowed to do their job without the constant bureaucratic interference, which regrettably often held Chief Clements’ exceptional policing capabilities and better judgment back.

The City owes a debt, big time, to the departing chief for the job he has done and the strong department he has left behind to look after our safety. And in his new position in Washington, there’s an obvious opportunity for him to help ensure Providence remains at the forefront of the community policy track he was so instrumental in building here.

Thanks Chief, for a superb job well done.

Neighborhood News

A space made available to Providence’s neighborhood associations free of charge.