Boon Street Market, the popular food hall carved out of a 19th-century train depot near Narragansett Pier, is facing fresh restrictions from town officials after years of complaints about noise and parking spillover into the surrounding residential streets. Just before the Narragansett Town Council took up the venue's annual liquor license renewal, the business's parent company abruptly withdrew a separate zoning request that could have reshaped how the property is regulated going forward.
The Narragansett Town Council agenda listed a motion to accept, without prejudice, a petition from Boon Street Capital, LLC seeking a zoning text amendment that would have created a so-called Boon Street Special District, according to the Narragansett Town Council. The council also reviewed the market's Class B-Victualling alcohol license, which covers the period from December 1, 2026 to November 30, 2027, alongside 19 other local restaurant license renewals in town, including Coast Guard House, George's of Galilee, and Bon Vue Inn, per the same council records.
According to the Providence Journal, the town council has restricted operations at Boon Street Market and plans to continue the discussion the night before the general election. Police have logged nearly 1,500 parking violations connected to Boon Street this year, the paper reports, underscoring how traffic and curbside congestion near the market have become a persistent flashpoint for neighbors and town officials alike.
A Depot Turned Food Hall Draws Scrutiny
Boon Street Market reopened in June 2025 at 145 Boon Street, transforming the historic 1896 train depot into a 129-seat indoor-outdoor venue featuring five fast-casual food concepts, two full-service bars, and screens throughout the venue, as reported by Newport Buzz. The open-air layout, prized by diners for its energy, sits close enough to residential homes that noise complaints surfaced almost as soon as the doors opened. By December 2024, the town council had renewed the market's Class B-Victualling license, requiring outdoor live music to end by 9 p.m.
Those restrictions didn't end the back-and-forth. Following continued complaints about sound levels during the summer of 2024, owner Lindsay Holmes of The Market at Gansett Rail LLC presented a sound-baffling pergola project to the council during an April 2025 license review, which prompted councilors to schedule additional check-ins during the peak summer operating months, town records show. The pattern reflects a multi-year negotiation between ownership and municipal officials over how to balance a thriving commercial draw against quality-of-life concerns for nearby residents.
Parking Pressure Spills Into the Pier District
Parking has proven just as contentious as noise. Police have logged nearly 1,500 parking violations connected to Boon Street this year, according to the Providence Journal.
Business owners have considered some voluntary fixes of their own. A shuttle has been floated as one possible way to ease parking congestion throughout the Pier district, a seasonal hot spot that swells with traffic during summer months and college semester weekends.
Mobile Food Establishment Rules
Rhode Island has a separate registration process for mobile food establishments, distinct from the victualling license governing a brick-and-mortar operation.
Boon Street Market's Class B-Victualling license is listed for December 1, 2026, through November 30, 2027.
