Wickford Gourmet to Return to the Village

It’s out with the new, in with the old in Wickford Village. A longtime staple of the historic village, the beloved Wickford Gourmet looks to return to its former home.

It’ll be the same building, but not the same Wickford Gourmet that patrons bid farewell to in 2005. The cheeses, pates and other gourmet goodies won’t be returning as the latest incarnation of 25 West Main Street will be solely devoted to retail products (ranging from table linens to cutlery to silverware and more) as owners Joe and Donna Dube relocate their inventory from their location on Ten Rod Road back to the village.

For the Dubes, the move is a homecoming – literally. When the family originally opened Wickford Gourmet in 1981, they lived in the building while operating the business out of the front portion of the first floor. The Dubes’ Gourmet lasted 24 years, through hurricanes, fires and the credit union crisis of the early 1990s. By 2005, the couple was drained.

“We did it for 24 years and for 22 it was fun,” said Joe Dube. “We were burned out. In the 23rd year, it was killing us.”

After selling the business in 2005, the couple focused on their retail business on Ten Rod Road. Within three years, the new owner of Wickford Gourmet went bankrupt. After that came before closing down. Then, Foodies of Wickford began its short-lived run in the village, During that time, the Dubes have remained owners of the building – renting it out to the various business owners and instituting a lease-to-own plan for the owners of Foodies before they defaulted on their payments. After seven years of a revolving door of businesses, the Dubes decided it was time to come home.

“We’re meant to come back,” said Donna Dube.

The Dubes are eyeing a May 31 open for the new shop as they rehabilitate the interior and exterior of the building. For the past few weeks, the Dubes and others (including Donna’s brother and ) have been gutting the inside of the store to prep it for the new merchandise.

“It will be great moving the shop back into the village,” said Donna. “It’s not as cramped here as at Ten Rod Road and we’ll get walk-in traffic, which we don’t get over there.”

Returning to the village they once called home is also a huge advantage.

“There’s a sense of community here,” said Donna. “It will be good to be back in the village. We have a lot of history here.”

Though the couple was looking to step back from the business seven years ago, Joe and Donna (69 and 68 years old, respectively) believe they’re far from retirement.

“Old isn’t old anymore,” said Donna Dube.