Blank Street Coffee is opening its first Rhode Island location at 218 Thayer Street, moving into the space near Brown University's campus that sat empty after Starbucks closed its store there in 2025. The venture-backed coffee chain, known for its compact shops and viral matcha drinks, was chosen over dozens of other interested businesses for the corner spot.
Harrison Dulgarian, senior vice president for Dulgarian Properties, which leases the 218 Thayer Street space, said Blank Street was the best fit for the location, citing the company's strong financial standing and the sense that it would fit well with the surrounding community, according to the Brown Daily Herald. Blank Street was selected for the Thayer Street space. The chain was selected from a few dozen interested businesses, per the same report.
Starbucks had occupied that corner for roughly 25 years before permanently closing the storefront in late September 2025 under CEO Brian Niccol's “Back to Starbucks” restructuring program, a move that ended one of College Hill's longest-running student coffee hubs, as reported by the Brown Daily Herald. The Thayer Street shop was the only Rhode Island Starbucks shuttered during that particular portfolio review. Kenneth Dulgarian owned the building occupied by Starbucks in 1999 and also owned the Avon Cinema and College Hill Book Store, according to Providence Business News.
A Build-Out Years in the Making
Blank Street will begin construction very soon, though the company has no established opening timeline yet. The build-out will prepare the space for the café.
That infrastructure overhaul tracks with Blank Street's operating model nationally: the chain relies on automated Eversys espresso machines tucked into compact stores averaging roughly 500 square feet, about a quarter the footprint of a traditional Starbucks, according to Value Add VC. The tech-driven format is designed to keep real estate costs down while moving drinks quickly.
Blank Street was founded in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, in 2020 by Vinay Menda, Issam Freiha and Ignacio Llado before growing into a chain with more than 100 shops across the United States and United Kingdom. The company closed a $105 million funding round in late August 2026, pushing its valuation to $650 million; its expansion plans include Los Angeles and Philadelphia, Value Add VC reported. Blank Street has raised approximately $214 million in primary funding since its founding, per the same source. A Blank Street representative declined to comment for now, according to the Herald.
Thayer Street's Rough Few Years
The new café arrives as Spectrum India is closing its Thayer Street location, amid concerns about rising rents and inconsistent foot traffic along the corridor.
Starbucks' retreat from Rhode Island wasn't limited to Thayer Street, either. In September, the company announced plans to close two more Rhode Island locations, in Warwick and East Greenwich, as part of a nationwide reduction involving roughly 250 stores, according to Patch.
Public Money Chasing a Revival
Rhode Island state officials have been trying to shore up the corridor. The state awarded $200,000 in economic development grant funding to the Thayer Street District Management Authority in July 2026 to install new lighting, murals and nighttime safety enhancements aimed at boosting commercial foot traffic, per the State of Rhode Island.
Students Weigh In on the New Competition
Student reaction has been mixed. Indy Singh said Blank Street's arrival shows that Providence is up-and-coming, while Ai Okura said she's excited about having more cafes and places for coffee and socializing on Thayer Street, the Herald reported.
Blank Street will also compete with Ceremony. Blank Street will also be competing with Brown Bee Coffee's planned second cafe at Brook and Waterman streets, part of a broader wave of new coffee ventures moving into the College Hill area even as boba tea and casual food outlets have shuttered nearby.
Dulgarian owns several other properties along Thayer Street, and with construction on the new café set to begin soon, the corner is poised to look very different from its Starbucks-era past once the doors finally open.
