Diverse companies relocate and expand in Warwick - by Joseph Solomon

Business is booming here in Warwick, as evidenced by a number of expansions as well as diverse new companies we’ve recently welcomed to our community.

For example, TMW Productions, a four-year-old company comprised largely of Johnson & Wales University alumni and interns, has moved to new space on Post Rd. TMW Productions works with non-profits and private industries alike to help them maximize profitability on special events and fundraising, and prides itself on an ability to create meaningful and memorable occasions. They also specialize in weddings, reunions, baby showers and engagement parties as well as any number of tournaments, road races, expos and business summits and conferences. 

Just a short distance away, Dogtopia has opened its first Rhode Island location in a newly renovated, 7,650 s/f facility at 30 Jefferson Blvd. Founded in 2002 by a couple in Virginia, the company began offering franchising opportunities in 2005 and has now grown to over 65 locations in the United States and Canada. 

With an eye to helping their canine customers learn social skills and offering a safe environment in which to play, Dogtopia offers daily dog daycare, spa services, overnight and long-term boarding, as well as webcams for those clients who want to check out their pets’ comings and goings throughout their stay. All employees hold a “Canine Coach” certification through a customized training program approved by the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC) and the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT). 

On Chestnut St., we’re celebrating another “first in Rhode Island” company with the arrival of Metal Supermarkets. Since its founding in Canada in 1985, Metal Supermarkets has grown to over 90 franchises throughout Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States, offering customers access to the inventory in all stores. The 7,500 s/f Warwick location offers 8,000 types and grades of metal, from aluminum and steel, to brass, bronze and copper. With a goal of continually providing safety, professionalism and world-class service to its customers, Metal Supermarkets doesn’t require a minimum order, offers delivery and will cut products to meet customers’ exact specifications. 

It’s not just commercial entities that are expanding in Warwick. WestBay Community Action has moved into a much larger, 19,000 s/f facility on a bus route along Jefferson Blvd., allowing them to house a growing workforce and all of their programs under one roof, which will enable them to better serve the clients of Kent County and, more specifically, Warwick. And on Sandy Lane, a $10,000 donation from MetLife led to the transformation of a room at the Warwick Boys & Girls Club at Cooper into a welcoming, fully stocked art studio where kids can let their imaginations and creativity run wild.

Warwick offers a diverse stock of commercial space available for lease or sale. To learn more about all we have to offer, visit movetowarwickri.com or contact Tourism, Culture and Development coordinator Russell Moore at (401) 738-2014.

Joseph Solomon is the mayor of the city of Warwick, R.I.