Two NK Businesses Vie for Vacant Building

First, word spread that owner Mark Hall was set to move his business — Rhode Island’s largest aquarium — to the former Gable House Furniture building on Post Road. For Hall, it seemed like a done deal … that is until he drove past the building one day and saw someone else moving in.

Hall’s realtor was also blindsided by the move, having no idea that a deal had been closed with another business. The day before, Craig Schennum of Consignments Goods had closed a deal with the building’s realtor to move his business in.

“I’m sure Craig [Schennum] had nothing to do with it,” said Hall. “He was just a guy looking for a place to rent and he rented it. I don’t blame him.”

Schennum, who has completely moved his business from its former location further south on Post Road to its new home, believes the decision to go with his business over Biomes was a matter of logistics.

“I think [the realtors] were looking at what was less invasive to the building,” said Schennum. “We didn’t have to do too many modifications.”

Despite the setback, Hall says the loss of Gable House to Schennum was “the best thing that could’ve happened.” According to Hall, the lawyers from both sides were working on the terms of the lease — terms he said “horrified” him and his attorney.

“There were some terms in there that really would have put you out of business,” said Hall.

Hall, who began looking for a new home for his private aquarium, is now in talks to move into another building in North Kingstown. Though he would not disclose the location of the building before the deal is finalized, he believes it’s a perfect fit.

“If this works out, it couldn’t be more perfect,” said Hall.

According to Hall, Biomes has outgrown its location behind the Shady Lea Mill and looks to expand and upgrade. The largest aquarium in Rhode Island provides hands-on marine biology programs and houses the largest collection of New England Marine life in the world with more than 120 species. Currently, the aquarium is only open to the public on Sundays and during school vacations. It also hosts private functions and school trips.

“When I started this it was strictly for school trips, so being set back off the road was kind of an advantage,” said Hall.

But, with nearly 300 people arriving at the aquarium on rainy, summer days and requests more open-to-the-public days, Hall says Biomes needs a change. Hall plans to keep the facility open to the public every day, which would not work at its current location.

Hall says he is looking to up the number of touch tanks from four to between 20 and 30. The exhibit hall in the new facility would be approximately 5,000 square feet — more than triple the amount of the aquarium’s current 1,500 square-foot facility.

Hall estimates Biomes sees at least 15,000 visitors each year. According to his projections, a move to a larger facility would draw 50,000 to 70,000 visitors.

“Where I am now, I’m not helping anybody,” said Hall. “There are no businesses nearby. You can’t even get a cup of coffee.”

The blessing in disguise that led Hall to the “perfect” new home for Biomes has also been beneficial for Schennum, who now has four times the amount of space he had at his former location.

“It’s a newer building and more open, not just a bunch of little rooms,” said Schennum. “Sometimes you outgrow what you’re doing and it’s time to move on to something else."

According to Schennum, the Gable family — which ran the former furniture store for nearly four decades before closing — is pleased to see its old building have new life as a furniture store once again.