The Market Report

Li'l General Owner: Lisa and Mike Pestana Opened:  unknown Cooperative:  none Location:  659 Great Rd, North Smithfield, RI Photographed:  September 4, 2021 Li'l General might bill itself as a convenience store, but it's certainly more than your average 7-Eleven. The 2500 square foot North Smithfield outpost of the five-store chain packs a punch with a deli, a butcher, some seafood, a little produce case, prepared foods, baked goods, and groceries alongside the regular convenience store fare. Each section is, of course, quite small, but they actually run a one-page circular advertising, the week I wrote this, scallops, sliced ham and liverwurst, steak and chicken, tortellini salad, and beef roast. Can't say I've ever seen most of those things at other convenience stores. I found this place absolutely fascinating. And it was a delightful little store! By no means a supermarket, but way more to choose from than other similar stores, and we're not exactly out in t...

Brigido's Fresh Market Owner: Mike Fernandez Opened:  2023 under current ownership; 1999 previously Cooperative:  Allegiance Retail Services Location:  900 Victory Hwy, North Smithfield, RI Photographed:  September 4, 2021 It's time for our second Brigido's Fresh Market! Yesterday we had the location in Pascoag , and there are now two other locations in New Hartford, CT and North Scituate, RI (which we'll visit soon). This North Smithfield location was previously an independent called Eddie's Market until Brigido's opened up in 1999, but I don't know any further history beyond that. At 19,000 square feet, it feels much larger than Pascoag but there's only about a 7,000 square foot difference. This store is definitely higher-end, though, with a big focus on the fresh items. There's also plenty of regular groceries, but the perimeter is much more exciting than Pascoag. Like Pascoag, I visited this store back in 2021, before it was sold. These days, i...