Latest news with #MatunuckOysterBar
Yahoo
2 days ago
- 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.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Matunuck Oyster Bar added to Savor New England lineup just weeks after fire
UNCASVILLE, Conn. (WTNH) — Matunuck Oyster Bar is set to be a vendor at Mohegan Sun's inaugural Savor New England. This comes just a couple of weeks after a fire destoryed the popular oyster bar on May 20 in South Kingstown, R.I. Inaugural Savor New England festival coming to Mohegan Sun this summer Guests can enjoy their oyster bar favorites from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, June 7 at Mohegan Sun's Sun Patio. The festival will also feature other seafood, refreshing drinks and live entertainment. $5 sample dishes and offerings from regional vendors will be offered. For tickets, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Matunuck Oyster Bar employees encouraged to download app to find new jobs
SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (WPRI) — The investigation into the cause of the fire at Matunuck Oyster Bar continues. Meanwhile, many of the restaurant's roughly 300 employees are still looking for new jobs. A lot of organizations have stepped up to try and help, including Becca Paquette, the co-founder of an app that helps employers connect with people looking for work. Job seekers can create a profile on 'Appie' which allows hiring businesses to look and see if they would be a good match. Businesses can then reach out to the person looking for work and invite them to apply. ALSO READ: Matunuck Oyster Bar fire appears accidental 'We are a local start – up with a new solution for hourly workers that are looking for jobs to connect with employers and we really thought this was the perfect situation to be able to help,' Paquette said. 'The Matunuck Oyster Bar Employees I'm sure are looking for work and rather than going to 15 different employers and filling out 15 different applications they can fill out one profile and employers reach out to them,' she continued. The subscription fee has brrn waived for local businesses that want to use the platform to hire former Matunuck Oyster Bar employees. NEXT: Fundraisers launched for 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
25-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Charlestown restaurant holds fundraiser for Matunuck Oyster Bar employees
CHARLESTOWN, R.I. (WPRI) — A restaurant in Charlestown is holding an event Saturday night to raise money for employees of Matunuck Oyster Bar, which was heavily damaged after a fire earlier this week. BACKGROUND: Matunuck Oyster Bar may be total loss after fire 'We just want to help out in any way that we can because, at the end of the day, restaurant community is family,' Jill Fonnermann, who organized this event, told 12 News. 'We laugh together, we cry together, we mourn together and like I said, this is the least that we could do.' All of the money generated from the event at The Charlestown Rathskeller will go to the Matunuck Oyster Bar Employee Relief Fund, which is overseen by the Rhode Island Hospitality Association. Those attending will get to enjoy live music, food and drinks. The event starts at 8 p.m. and goes until 11 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online or at the door. A separate GoFundMe fundraiser was also created to raise money for rebuilding efforts and to help the employees who have been affected. READ MORE: 'They need us': Fundraisers launched for Matunuck Oyster Bar The Office of the State Fire Marshal said Thursday the fire's cause appears to have been accidental, but an investigation remains underway. 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.
Boston Globe
23-05-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
Matunuck Oyster Bar, damaged in fire, did not have sprinklers
Fire officials said The investigation remains ongoing. 'There is significant damage to the building,' South Kingstown Fire Chief Steven Pinch said. 'It's still standing, but between the water, fire and smoke damage, the structural problems are significant.' Advertisement These new details come more than two decades after the state's push to create a tougher fire code in the wake of the The The building the Matunuck Oyster Bar was located in was originally constructed in 1946. Since owner Perry Raso purchased the property - previously a rundown restaurant - to open his oyster bar in 2009, Advertisement The state Fire Code requires a sprinkler system in places of assembly that hold 300 people or more. Matunuck had an occupancy of 222 people. Despite additions made over the years, Bernier explained the oyster bar's square footage and occupancy rate were below the thresholds at which the state Fire Code requires a sprinkler system. Related : Several other restaurants and hotels in Rhode Island have suffered damaging fires in recent years. The historic Earlier this month, Matunuck Oyster Bar was last inspected by local fire officials in September 2024, when they found about 20 minor violations. Each was corrected within the required 30-day timeline. While no one was injured in the blaze, the fire comes as a devastating blow to Advertisement two regular diners, Dan Smalley and David Stine, aimed at helping employees and the rebuilding effort, has already raised more than $140,000. The Rhode Island Hospitality Association Several building permits were recently pulled for future work to be done at the restaurant. Laurent Fortin Jr., a master pipefitter with Buckley Heating and Cooling, pulled a mechanical permit on May 13 to replace two water heaters and work on gas piping that ran from an existing propane tank to the water heaters, according to documents filed with the town obtained by the Globe. The job would cost nearly $25,000, according to the permit. The work wasn't expected to be performed until June 14, according to a representative with F&S Electric Inc., the electric company that was supposed to install the project's wiring. Anthony Santurri, an East Greenwich-based electrician, pulled an electric permit on May 20, the day of the fire. He did not return calls from the Globe seeking comment. 'Based on information collected to date by inspectors, several possible causes have been ruled out including commercial cooking equipment being a direct cause of the fire,' Matthew Touchette, a spokesman for the State Fire Marshal's office, wrote in an update on Thursday. Alexa Gagosz can be reached at
