The City of Cranston is part of the large metropolitan area of Providence and is located just south of the Capital City, with 3 1/2 miles of shoreline on the Providence River where it begins to broaden into Narragansett Bay. Cranston is also bounded by the City of Warwick and the Towns of West Warwick and Coventry on the south, and by the Town of Scituate on the west. Cranston has a geographical area of 28.2 square miles.
There are plenty of shopping opportunities in Cranston. Here are a few of the top rated and personal favorites.
Garden City is a commercial shopping outlet located in Cranston. Between the several connected buildings, you have access to more than 40 retail shops, including upscale & boutique shops like Talbots, The Children’s Store, Anthropologie, Sephora, Pottery Barn, Whole Foods, Ann Taylor, and Clarks. Did we mention there are 19 different food & drink spots here as well? You can have everything from craft burgers to high-end seafood plates.
Chapel View opened in 2008 directly across the street from Garden City, this upscale “lifestyle center” houses a mix of high-end retail, office space, condominiums, and restaurants in a charming village setting. You’ll find Alex & Ani, Cold Stone Creamery, Omaha Steaks, Panera Bread, T.J. Maxx, L.L. Bean, and much more. The setting itself is beautiful and you can spend the whole day shopping here!
Pawtuxet Village is a small seaside village on the easternmost section of Cranston, right next to Edgewood and Roger Williams Park & Zoo. It’s a walkable neighborhood with popular restaurants and bars, boutique shopping, and seasonal outdoor events and festivals. Check out Lanes on Broad, Noon Design Shop, Twice Told Tales, Sweet Indulgence, Revolution, Basta, and PTX while you’re exploring!
Circling the area where Pontiac Avenue crosses Park Avenue, Rolfe Square is a popular neighborhood for walkability, shopping, and dining out. If you have a love for small business shopping, this is the place for you. Unlike Chapel View or Garden City Center, here you’ll find all local people running local businesses with hand-crafted and/specialty products. Rolfe Square had several ethnic marketplaces, cool “neighborhood” spots like Bettola Pizza Parlor, and Dave’s Market (a popular locally-owned food mart).