Rhode Island

RI man builds Halloween graveyard for businesses that have closed down

Tombstones with logos of businesses that dont exist anymore
WJAR

Some New England businesses are gone, but not forgotten, and one man from Smithfield, Rhode Island, is paying tribute to them with his Halloween display.

“I thought it was a creative way to remember these stores that we grew up with and the places we grew up with. Lot of memories," Joshua Patenaude told NBC affiliate WJAR.

It started out as tombstones for Benny's and Toys R Us, but it is now a whole graveyard of iconic New England businesses.

Patenaude told WJAR that each hand-drawn piece takes about 3 or 4 hours to complete and they will be kept up until after Halloween.

These are the stores currently featured in his festive display:

  • Rocky Point
  • Benny's
  • Almacs
  • Sears
  • Pawsox
  • Toys R Us
  • Christmas Tree Shops
  • Block Buster
  • Radio Shack
  • Ann & Hope

"It’s sad any time you see a business or an amusement park or a place go under, it’s always sad you have the memories, you had shopping there, or playing there like the roller coasters," he added, "This is a way to showcase them."

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