SHOP: Second-hand shopping parties on the West End

A Place to Nest

New collaborative curates a cozy homebase for secondhand style and communal gathering

When Charlotte von Meister and Danielle Sturm first sat down to meet over their shared passion for re-selling fashion and homewares online, they found they also shared a vision that went beyond secondhand retail: to fight the cycle of consumerism. With the initial intention of finding a physical office-studio space for their online sales, they quickly realized they wanted their location to do so much more. “We found our communal mission evolved to include elevating sustainable style while creating a physical space to host and grow a community of like-minded people also working towards that mission,” says von Meister.

In spring 2021, von Meister and Sturm brought their dream to life with The Nest, a bright and airy loft space in Providence’s West End. A celebration of creators, makers, and vintage treasures, the open floor plan showcases carefully selected, high-quality items meant to be used, worn, and appreciated for years to come. “We’ve seen so many beautiful items hidden away in cupboards and closets, forgotten but with still so much life in them. We want to rescue all secondhand items so that they’re properly utilized and cherished, and so they do not end up in landfills,” Sturm explains.

To peruse their pre-loved and handmade pieces, shoppers are welcomed on special nights for Shopping Parties where they’re encouraged to “bring friends and play dress up” as they join with the growing community of artists, designers, and

The event space at The Nest

The past 18 months have been a challenging time for the concert industry. When COVID-19 struck in March 2020, national tours shut down and musicians were suddenly unemployed, with limited opportunities for income. Locally, concert venues large and small closed their doors during most of the pandemic; things changed quickly last October when then-Governor Raimondo encouraged businesses to Take It Outside, an initiative to increase outdoor commerce.

Askew, a club in the Jewelry District, was among the spots that began to produce concerts outside. With support from the City, a portion of Chestnut Street in front of the bar was closed to traffic to allow for socially distanced seating. “National bands were not touring so we had to be creative,” says Michael Panico, a concert promoter. “John DiFruscio and Windsong Hadley [of Askew] were very good with adjusting to the ever-changing COVID rules,” he explains. “Whether it was putting up plexiglass, measuring out six feet for tables, requiring masks, or transitioning to outdoor shows, they made sure we followed all the protocols and rules that the state put in place.”

Photo by Ken Abrams

Neal and the Vipers performing at Askew

Photo by Ken Abrams

Fast-forward to August 2021 and music returned to the Providence Performing Arts Center, with a rousing double bill from local legends John Ca erty and the Beaver Brown Band, along with Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes. The first show back was a big success according to PPAC president Lynn Singleton. “From an operational perspective, it was spectacular given that we hadn’t done a show in 18 months.” According to Singleton, one of the reasons for the show, besides having a great event in the building, was that the venue needed a practice run for the sta working the event. “It was also the first time we had a mask requirement, and 99 percent of those attending respected that,” he says. “We put $300,000 into air filtration systems, added touchless credit card machines, and we are requiring all sta to be fully vaccinated,” he explains. “We all need to come together safely to keep events happening. That’s the bottom line.” Several big-name rock concerts are scheduled at PPAC, including Foreigner, Elvis Costello, and Cheap Trick, and ticket sales for both musicals and music are strong according to Singleton. Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes at PPAC

Photo by Lily Araujo

John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band at PPAC

Photo by Lily Aroujo

Photo by Matthew TW Huang

Sister-venue The Vets is also gearing up for a busy season, with the RI Philharmonic returning for full-capacity shows, along with a roster of national and local acts like Mary Chapin Carpenter, Marc Cohn, Shawn Colvin, and Twitter sensation Randy Rainbow. Says RI Philharmonic Executive Director David Beauchesne, “We spent the pandemic working hard to bring live orchestral performances and music education programs to our community.” For the orchestra, that meant redesigning an entire season with works that required fewer musicians for social distancing, while increasing the usual number of concert weeks from 10 to 19 to include as many musicians as possible. When the Columbus Theatre reopened in August they did so with a mandatory valid proof of COVID-19 vaccination for entry, no exceptions. “The reaction to our COVID policy has been overwhelmingly positive,” explains Tom Weyman, co-founder of the Columbus Cooperative. “Many people told us they had been feeling hesitant about attending a live show indoors, but that our policy made them feel better about coming. We have also noticed a lot of the artists that we booked for the fall have instituted their own policies similar to ours.”

During the pandemic, RI Music Hall of Fame inductee Mark Cutler turned his home into a virtual performance space. “In lieu of live shows, I did a Wednesday night Facebook Live performance every week,” Cutler explains. “It was a great way to stay in shape. I also did Zoom songwriting workshops and lessons.” Meanwhile, Cutler is trying to get back to some semblance of normalcy. As leader of both The Schemers and Men of Great Courage, he happily reports that he’s booked for the rest of the year. “I’m trying to do more outdoor shows while we can. We’ve done a couple of gigs inside with no weirdness. I gotta make a living somehow,” he says with a grin.

“When I realized that the pandemic was going to be a long-term situation, I knew that performers of every kind would be out of work much longer than those in other professions,” remarks Tish Adams, a jazz singer and artist. “I did a few streaming shows, mostly as fundraisers for struggling music venues or non-profit arts organizations.” In June, 2020, Adams launched a “safe pandemic” concert series of live and in-person shows, along with livestreams and radio broadcasts with the help of WRIU DJ Sam Kopper. “It’s been a long road with a lot of pitfalls, but I’m determined to preserve the live music experience, not just for myself, but for other musicians and audiences, too.”

Photo by Fred Sammartino

Marcovia Leclerc performing at an open mic night at The Parlour

Photo by Allie Boyer

Outdoor Concert Series at Blackstone Parks Conservancy

Photo by Jennifer McLean

The Quahogs performing at Nick-A-Nees for their 25th Anniversary Bash

Photo by Allie Boyer

Brayla performing at She Community Club Fundraiser held at Revival

Photo by Michael Braga

Losst performing at Revival Brewing

Music enthusiasts are excited but guarded about the return of live music. With fears of a resurgence of COVID, some are taking a waitand-see approach. Elizabeth Allen, guitar/vocalist in the The Debutantes, shares “I have really enjoyed being back at shows and even doing a little bit of outdoor performing myself this summer, but with the Delta variant and potentially not enough people vaccinated, like all kids for example, I’m anxious about what indoor live music is going to look like.”

Askew’s Panico sums up everyone’s wishes, “I hope at some point we can all get back to normal, and the Providence music community – which I think is one of the best – can thrive again.”