Latest news with #MatunuckOysterBar
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Lawmakers approve outdoor dining change to help Matunuck Oyster Bar after devastating fire
The damaged Matunuck Oyster Bar in South Kingstown is shown on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, the date of a devastating fire believed to have been accidental. (Photo by Laura Paton/Rhode Island Current) Appreciation for South County's acclaimed Matunuck Oyster Bar transcends political party, evidenced by the Rhode Island General Assembly's universal support to change state outdoor dining regulations on the restaurant's behalf. Companion bills sponsored by South Kingstown Democrats, Rep. Carol Hagan McEntee and Sen. V. Susan Sosnowski were each approved by their respective chambers in separate, unanimous votes Thursday. Each chamber must still give the rubber stamp to the other's bill — a process known as concurrence — before the legislation heads to Gov. Dan McKee's desk. McKee has already indicated his support. The eleventh hour proposal, introduced in the Rhode Island State House one week earlier, offers a temporary solution after a fire permanently closed Matunuck Oyster Bar on May 20. Perry Raso, restaurant owner and oyster farmer, has cooked up a plan to host diners in a neighboring marina parking lot this summer, which requires a few tweaks to existing state regulations governing al fresco eateries. 'While we know summer at Matunuck Oyster Bar won't look the same this year, this creative solution is a great first step toward welcoming diners back to our tables and keeping our staff working and earning wages during this busy season,' Raso said in a statement Thursday prior to the votes. Raso said he can keep about 50 members of his 300-person staff on the payroll this summer under the mobile kitchen plan. 'This bill is not only about outdoor dining, it's about protecting jobs, supporting small business and keeping our economy going,' said Rep. Kathleen Fogarty, a South Kingstown Democrat whose district includes the restaurant and Raso's home. Outdoor dining is no longer a novelty, having become a staple for the state's hospitality industry in the wake of the pandemic. In February 2024, lawmakers approved a new state law regulating outdoor dining, allowing cities and towns to limit outdoor dining on public property and set capacity caps, while protecting restaurant owners from overly restrictive local limits on operating hours and parking. The bill passed by both chambers Thursday amends the 2024 law, permitting 18 months of outdoor dining — or until the building is 'fit for occupancy' — for restaurants closed due to casualties like floods and fires. Municipal governments would also need to OK the workaround measure for affected restaurants in their communities based on existing local ordinances. Restaurants could serve alcohol outside, too, if they already have a local liquor license. The added flexibility for outdoor dining in emergencies expires June 30, 2027, though Senator Leonidas Raptakis, a Coventry Democrat, urged fellow senators to consider making the change permanent. 'I think this is a very good tool that helps all businesses in Rhode Island,' Raptakis, who used to own Venus Pizza in Coventry. 'I don't want to see this happen to any business.' Across the rotunda, Minority Whip David Place,a Burrillville Republican, lobbied unsuccessfully to make the proposal permanent. 'I don't want this to just be here for one business, I want it to be here for every business,' Place said. McEntee, however, said the sunset provision aligned with prior, pandemic-era outdoor dining laws, which all began as temporary measures and, if proven effective, became permanent. Place ultimately voted for the legislation as presented, including the 2027 expiration. The South Kingstown Town Council passed a resolution at its June 9 meeting supporting the state policy change, as requested by Elizabeth Noonan, an attorney representing Raso. The South Kingstown Town Council must also approve details of Raso's outdoor dining plans, which had not been submitted to the town as of Thursday afternoon, Town Council President Rory McEntee. He is the son of Rep. McEntee. 'We look forward to sharing our plans for al fresco dining in the marina parking lot across the street from the Matunuck Oyster Bar if and when this legislation is enacted, and we remain committed to take any step we can to preserve as many summer shifts for as many of our employees as possible,' Raso said Thursday. Details on a permanent rebuild and reopening of the famed, 16-year seafood restaurant were not immediately available. The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Rhode Island Office of the State Fire Marshal, Matt Touchette, a spokesperson, said Thursday. A preliminary investigation suggested it was accidental, and not caused by commercial cooking equipment. Rep. Megan Cotter, an Exeter Democrat, recused herself from the vote. Cotter sold the restaurant fish through her job as director of business development and category management for Foley Fish, she said via text Thursday night. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Push to help Matunuck Oyster Bar reopen advances at State House
SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (WPRI) — While flames may have destroyed the inside, a bill that could allow Matunuck Oyster Bar to serve customers outside is one step closer to becoming law. Nearly a month after fire devastated the beloved South Kingstown restaurant, the community is continuing to rally behind it in hopes of reopening in time for the busy summer season. 'Like a bad dream': Rhode Islanders distraught by fire at beloved oyster bar State Rep. Carol Hagan McEntee and Sen. Susan Sosnowski are helping lead the charge with the 'Outdoor Dining Act,' which would allow restaurants damaged by natural disasters — such as fire or flooding — to operate with outdoor seating and a mobile kitchen. The legislation advanced Tuesday night in both the House Committee on Small Business and the Senate Committee on Housing and Municipal Government. Matunuck Oyster Bar owner Perry Raso stressed how important this step is to him and his staff. 'It will allow us to maintain and do some level of business and sell seafood which is what we do and keep our staff going and hopefully generate some revenue at the same time until we can rebuild,' Raso said. On Monday, the South Kingstown Town Council unanimously passed a resolution supporting the legislation. Town manager James Manni explained how the restaurant is a critical thread in the fabric of their local economy and community. 'How many of us have been there for graduation, anniversaries, mothers day, fathers day so on and so forth?,' Manni said Tuesday night. The current proposal includes a sunset clause that would expire in June 2027, but both Hagan McEntee and Sosnowski said they expect to revisit the timeline. 'There may be other restaurants that may be effected and we should look at it and make it a permanent law rather than just a temporary one,' Sosnowski said. Votes on the bill are expected in the full House and Senate on Thursday. Smiley: Providence in 'very preliminary' talks with Matunuck Oyster Bar Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Smiley: Providence in ‘very preliminary' talks with Matunuck Oyster Bar
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — If there's a way for Providence to help a beloved Rhode Island oyster bar, Mayor Brett Smiley said the city stands ready to do so. In the wake of a devastating fire at Matunuck Oyster Bar in South Kingstown last month, several fundraisers have been launched and community members have been offering help to the iconic restaurant. RELATED: Rhode Islanders distraught by fire at beloved oyster bar Smiley said the city has had 'some original conversations' with the bar's owner, but they were 'very preliminary.' 'I reached out immediately to the business owner, who I know, and told them if there was a way that Providence could play a role in either a short-term or a long-term solution to the tragedy, that we wanted to do so,' Smiley told 12 News on Monday. 'Most importantly, there's 300 people who work at the oyster bar who don't have jobs right now, and we want to make sure that they find work and that that treasured Rhode Island institution finds a home and can reopen as soon as possible.' Earlier on Monday, The Boston Globe reported that the city's discussions included proposing that the bar open temporarily in Waterplace Park, where Skyline at Waterplace used to be. Skyline at Waterplace had been embroiled in a legal battle with the city since April 2023 when its owners were accused of violating their lease agreement by not keeping the property in good condition. The city's parks department took over management of the building after the city settled with the former owner to evict them. The city finalized that settlement in October. Documents show the city agreed to pay nearly $278,000. In recent months, the city has been showing off the vacant space to interested parties, according to Smiley, who said the city still plans to issue a request for proposal (RFP) sometime this year. 'We're trying to gather feedback from prospective users about what the best use of that facility is,' Smiley added. 'They need us': Fundraisers launched for Matunuck Oyster Bar There are efforts underway to get the oyster bar up and running closer to home. Last Friday, state Rep. Carol Hagan McEntee and Sen. V. Susan Sosnowski introduced legislation that would allow the restaurant to set up outdoor seating in the parking lot across the street. Hagan McEntee's bill is set to be reviewed by the House Committee on Small Business on Tuesday. Sosnowski's companion legislation will also be discussed Tuesday in the Senate Committee on Housing and Municipal Government. Alexandra Leslie (aleslie@ is a Target 12 investigative reporter covering Providence and more for 12 News. Connect with her on Twitter and on Facebook. Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Lawmakers propose measure to allow Matunuck Oyster Bar to temporarily reopen outside
Matunuck Oyster Bar staff and friends gather outside a chain-link fence as firefighters respond to a blaze that broke out at the restaurant early Tuesday, May 20, 2025. (Photo by Laura Paton/Rhode Island Current) After a devastating fire last month forced the closure of the Matunuck Oyster Bar, state lawmakers are pushing to update a pandemic-era law to help the South Kingstown restaurant temporarily reopen outdoors. Companion bills introduced late last week by Rep. Carol Hagan McEntee and Sen. V. Susan Sosnowski, both South Kingstown Democrats, would amend the state's outdoor dining law to allow the restaurant to run a mobile kitchen in a parking lot across the street through the end of June 2027. 'This legislation is the least we could do to help weather the difficulties resulting from the fire, including keeping some of the restaurant's workers employed during the busy summer season,' McEntee said in a statement. McEntee was the lead sponsor of the 'Take It Outside' initiative that allowed food service establishments to operate outdoors during the pandemic. But House spokesperson Larry Berman said Monday the law never accounted for situations like the May 20 fire that permanently shut down the Matunuck Oyster Bar. Berman said the idea to update the law was brought to the attention of House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi by the restaurant's owner, Perry Raso. Raso did not respond to multiple requests for comment. The legislation would allow restaurants closed due to flood, fire, or other 'casualty' to offer temporary outdoor dining for up to 18 months. Affected restaurants could serve alcohol outside if they already have a liquor license from their respective municipality. Temporary restaurants would still need final approval from the local government but wouldn't need additional exemptions from local ordinances or codes, according to the bill. The agenda for South Kingstown's Town Council Monday evening meeting notes that town officials were asked to support the legislation by Raso's attorney, Beth Noonan. Noonan did not immediately respond to the request for comment, nor did Town Manager James Manni or Council President Rory McEntee, who is the son of Rep. McEntee. At the time of the fire, the Matunuck Oyster Bar employed about 300 workers. About 50 positions could be reinstated if the restaurant was allowed to reopen for al fresco dining, according to a news release issued Friday from the General Assembly. 'As this cherished establishment works to rebuild, it's important we do everything we can to support that process and the many people who rely on the restaurant for their livelihood,' Sosnowski said in a statement. State leaders aren't the only ones trying to help out the Matunuck Oyster Bar. Providence officials are looking at the possibility for Raso to potentially operate out of Waterplace Park. City spokesperson Josh Estrella confirmed that officials are in preliminary conversations with 'multiple vendors' for the events space located along the Woonasquatucket River, but declined to give additional details. The plans were first reported Monday by the Boston Globe. 'We are focused on making this space an asset to Providence,' Estrella said in an emailed statement Monday. McEntee's bill is scheduled for an initial hearing before the House Committee on Small Businesses Tuesday. Sosnowski's legislation will be heard by the Senate Committee on Housing and Municipal Government that same day. Shekarchi and Senate President Valarie Lawson both expressed strong support for the legislation. '@MatunuckOyster is an iconic restaurant that's beloved by Rhode Islanders & many visitors who come here just to enjoy MOB's award winning pond-to-plate cuisine,' Shekarchi posted on X Friday evening. Lawson called the bills 'important.' 'While the news of the fire was truly devastating, the way Rhode Islanders have responded to support Perry and his employees has been extraordinary,' Lawson said. 'Along with our partners at the State House and in South Kingstown, we will continue working to support everyone impacted as the restaurant rebuilds.' Gov. Dan McKee also backs the legislation. 'Our administration is committed to supporting Matunuck Oyster Bar—from rapidly assisting impacted workers through the Department of Labor & Training to working closely with ownership on licensing for this temporary setup through the Department of Health,' Olivia DaRocha, a spokesperson for McKee's office, said in an email. 'We stand ready to offer our continued assistance.' The Rhode Island Office of the State Fire Marshal investigation into what caused the fire remains underway, Matt Touchette, a spokesperson for the office said. Investigators have said it was likely accidental and ruled out commercial cooking equipment as the direct cause of the blaze. Updated to include comment from Gov. Dan McKee's office. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Matunuck Oyster Bar could operate outdoors this summer under new legislation
SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (WPRI) — State lawmakers are attempting to pass legislation that would allow the Matunuck Oyster Bar to open back up on a limited basis. The South Kingstown mainstay went up in flames last month and has been closed ever since. The cause of the fire has since been deemed accidental in nature. Rep. Carol Hagan McEntee and Sen. V. Susan Sosnowski introduced legislation Friday that would allow the restaurant to set up outdoor seating in the parking lot across the street, which is owned by Matunuck Oyster Bar's Perry Raso. Hagan McEntee's legislation is set to be reviewed by the House Committee on Small Business next Tuesday. Sosnowski's companion legislation will also be discussed Tuesday in the Senate Committee on Housing and Municipal Government. SEE ALSO: Rhode Islanders distraught by fire at beloved oyster bar The goal of the legislation is to keep the restaurant up and running throughout the busy summer months. The legislation would allow the restaurant to establish a mobile kitchen and serve patrons at outdoor tables. 'The award-winning Matunuck Oyster Bar is a beloved part of the South Kingstown and Rhode Island community and everyone was devastated when the fire broke out a few weeks ago,' Hagan McEntee said. 'Its success elevates the town and both locals and tourists alike have made this restaurant a true destination in Rhode Island.' 'This legislation is the least we could do to help weather the difficulties resulting from the fire, including keeping some of the restaurant's workers employed during the busy summer season,' she continued. Specifically, it amends the 'Take It Outside' law that allowed food service establishments to operate outdoors during the pandemic. The proposed change would allow restaurants to provide temporary outdoor dining service 'any time a building or other structure used as a food service establishment is rendered uninhabitable by virtue of a casualty,' such as a fire or flood. MORE: Fundraisers launched for Matunuck Oyster Bar If passed, the restaurants would be allowed to do so for 18 months 'or until the building is fit for occupancy.' The current proposal notes that the legislation would sunset and expire on June 30, 2027. 'Our community was heartbroken by the fire at Matunuck Oyster Bar, and so many people have rallied behind Perry Raso and his employees during this difficult time,' Sosnowski said. 'The fact that this happened on the cusp of the busy summer season is particularly devastating for Perry, the restaurant's workers, and our entire community.' 'As this cherished establishment works to rebuild, it's important we do everything we can to support that process and the many people who rely on the restaurant for their livelihood,' she added. 'Utilizing the successful approach of the 'Take It Outside' law is a common-sense step that will help immediately.' The proposed legislation requires municipal approval before it can be considered by lawmakers. The South Kingstown Town Council is scheduled to consider a resolution of support for it on Monday. RELATED: Matunuck Oyster Bar fire appears accidental House Speaker Joseph Shekarchi and Senate President Valarie Lawson have already expressed 'strong support' for the legislation. Shekarchi said Raso was the one who came up with this 'creative approach.' 'I pledged my strongest support to expedite this process with the House,' he said, adding that he will also work with the Senate and town to 'make this happen quickly.' Lawson stressed that she also plans on ensuring the passage of this legislation. 'While the news of the fire was truly devastating, the way Rhode Islanders have responded to support Perry and his employees has been extraordinary,' Lawson said. 'Along with our partners at the State House and in South Kingstown, we will continue working to support everyone impacted as the restaurant rebuilds.' Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
