Top Stories Of 2011: Business

In spite of a lackluster economy, a review of our files shows the local business scene was very active during 2011.

We’re not going to review all business activity for the year, but are highlighting the stories we found most pertinent and interesting.

1. The Marra Restaurant Group.  

The Marra restaurants were in the news all during 2011, starting with a report , which had . In August the community, and the state restaurant industry, were saddened by news of , who had built and continued to run the group. Later in the year Marra’s brother Michael, now in charge of the restaurants, told the Town Council all the restaurants would continue to operate, including the Post Office Café, which he said . when the group went into receivership.

2. Jigger’s closes.

The by Centreville Bank. Owner Ivan Reynhout tried, but couldn’t keep up with her taxes and . three days a week, later adding a fourth day, but wasn’t able to generate the income needed to keep the doors open.

3. East Greenwich salons and the sales tax.

. A group of 25 met at Kenneth Cote’s Salon for a first meeting. They joined with other salon owners around the state to form a much larger group and Richard Bump of Kenneth Cote served on a statewide board of directors. Through handout materials, a petition drive and statehouse rally, the group became part of the protest that killed the tax proposal.

4. Town property tax rate lower than expected.

Property taxes went up for the 2011-12 year, but not as much as expected. The . The reduction was due to some new building and more car tax income than expected because a lot of residents bought new cars during the 2009 “cash for clunkers” program.

5. East Greenwich Commons sold to Massachusetts Investment Group

Often called the CVS plaza, of Burlington, Mass., for $8 million dollars. The company said at the time they had been eyeing the property for several years and no major changes were planned.

6. Meridian Printing invests more than $5 million dollars in new printing presses

Saying the investment represented job security for their company and their 65 employees, Bob Nangle and Steven Lee .  Founded in the late '70s, Meridian, located on South County Trail, is a premier quality printer with a nationwide high-profile client base.

7. Thorpes and Verdi out of business

The after a closing sale in March. After Tony Verdi moved from East Greenwich Commons in late 2009, the store became entangled in a parking dispute which eventually wound up in Superior Court. The building is owned by Chad Verdi, and now houses his film production company.

8. TD Bank cancels a proposal to build in East Greenwich

In May The announcement came as a surprise to town officials who thought the proposal was moving along well.   A statement from their public relations department said the bank’s expansion plans still include a local branch.

9. Norton’s Marina gets a sewer hookup.

Technically Norton’s is in Warwick, but you have to go to East Greenwich to get there and it is thought of as an East Greenwich business. With a failing septic system the marina tried but failed in efforts to connect to the East Greenwich sewer system. The eight year struggle ended when they got an easement with Amtrack allowing them to go under the tracks and connect to the Warwick sewer system.