Newport Harbor nets Hemenway's restaurant in Providence
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Newport Harbor Corp. is buying Hemenway's Seafood Grill & Oyster Bar, the popular restaurant overlooking the Providence River. The restaurant, on the ground floor of 121 South Main St., an 11-story office tower on river's east bank, opened in 1985. Ken Cusson, director of restaurant operations for Newport Harbor, told The Providence Journal on Thursday that the employee-owned hospitality company has reached a tentative agreement to buy the iconic restaurant from its owners, Darden Restaurants Inc., of Orlando, Fla. Hemenway's was founded by Edward P. "Ned" Grace III, a local stock market wizard and entrepreneur. Grace also started the Bugaboo Creek and Capital Grille restaurant chains and owned other restaurants in the Providence area before selling his operation in 1996 to LongHorn Steaks Inc. for $57 million. LongHorn renamed itself Rare Hospitality International Inc. after the purchase, operating the Bugaboo, Capital Grille and LongHorn chains and other restaurants from its base in Atlanta. Darden acquired Rare in October 2007. Started before World War II, Newport Harbor began concentrating on the hospitality business in 1995. It owns and operates a number of well-known restaurants in Rhode Island, including Castle Hill Inn & Resort, The Mooring Restaurant and 22 Bowens Wine Bar & Grill, all in Newport, as well as the Waterman Grille, in Providence; Trio, in Narragansett; the Boat House, in Tiverton; the Newport Yachting Center and Blackstone Caterers. 
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This is terrific! A Providence classic joining a great collection of restaurants.
Good Luck to all!
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