When the Misquamicut Business Association (MBA) was formed more than two decades ago, its intent was to help local businesses harness the power of collective advertising.“No one business could afford to take out a full-page ad in the New York Post,” said founding MBA member and Andrea owner Rebecca Colucci. “But we could pool our resources to buy one ad that enticed people to the shorelines of Misquamicut.”
During the last 20 years, social media has changed the advertising game a lot, but that spirit of cooperation among Misquamicut businesses is as strong as ever and, in fact, growing.
“It’s cooperation,” said Charles Trefes, MBA president and owner of the Atlantic Beach Park and Windjammer. “We compete as businesses, but also cooperate with each other because to get
things done for the area, we’re stronger as a group than as individuals.”
And the real winners of all that cooperation are the people who flock to Misquamicut every year to enjoy the shoreline and surrounding town. Like stagehands who bring dazzling stories to
life on stage, the MBA works quietly behind the scenes to ensure tourists have an enticing place to visit year after year. Much of the work the MBA does likely goes unnoticed, but everyone
would notice immediately if they stopped.
“One of our big things is hiring a road crew that picks up all the trash up and down the streets
and sweeps the sidewalks,” said Caswell Cooke, MBA founding member and executive director.
They also hire crews to paint By Emily Olson
When the Misquamicut Business Association (MBA) was formed more than two decades ago, its intent was to help local businesses harness the power of collective advertising. “No one
business could afford to take out a full-page ad in the New York Post,” said founding MBA member and Andrea owner Rebecca Colucci. “But we could pool our resources to buy one ad
that enticed people to the shorelines of Misquamicut.” During the last 20 years, social media has changed the advertising game a lot, but that spirit of cooperation among Misquamicut businesses is as strong as ever and, in fact, growing.
“It’s cooperation,” said Charles Trefes, MBA president and owner of the Atlantic Beach Park and Windjammer. “We compete as businesses, but also cooperate with each other because to get
things done for the area, we’re stronger as a group than as individuals.” And the real winners of all that cooperation are the people who flock to Misquamicut every
year to enjoy the shoreline and surrounding town. Like stagehands who bring dazzling stories to life on stage, the MBA works quietly behind the scenes to ensure tourists have an enticing place
to visit year after year. Much of the work the MBA does likely goes unnoticed, but everyone would notice immediately if they stopped.
“One of our big things is hiring a road crew that picks up all the trash up and down the streets and sweeps the sidewalks,” said Caswell Cooke, MBA founding member and executive director. They also hire crews to paint provides a much-needed service for people looking for a little entertainment as they come out of winter hibernation. Greene said of the drive-in, which has experienced a recent explosion in popularity and growth, “It’s safe, it’s fun. You can pack your whole family up in the car and have a cheap night out.”
And the concept of family is an important one at Misquamicut — many of the small businesses in the area are passed down from one generation to the next. “The generation that’s running the
businesses now, we went to school together while our parents ran the businesses,” said Trefes before describing with pride his daughter’s growing interest in helping out her dad at the Windjammer.
Colucci echoes his sentiment.
“Misquamicut has always been a family-friendly beach. All the business owners are families. It’s simply engineered that way.”