Newport County people to watch in '24: Meredith Brower sees Tiverton's business potential
NEWPORT – Tiverton gets a bad rap when it comes to business.
Meredith Brower, the director and manager of Tiverton Farmers Market, would like to flip the script on that reputation.
Brower is in a position to help market Tiverton, with its 9 miles of coastline, three beaches and picturesque farms.Brower is the Tiverton appointee to Discover Newport, and she reports to the town’s Economic Development Commission.
Brower was appointed to the post mid-2023 and has used it as a learning experience. With around six board meetings per year and several marketing events, Brower is learning all about the local economy and how to possibly bring more revenue and buzz to the town she grew up in.
Brower said she is new to local politics but has a few goals in mind: helping people who want to start a business in town and uniting all four corners of the town.
“The land is a tremendous resource. There’s a tremendous amount of talented people who want to start their own business.”
A look at Tiverton's future
A professional photographer and artist, Brower came back home to help take care of her mom and her family’s farm just before COVID hit. Brower says work was hard to find during that time period, so she helped inject life into the Tiverton Farmers Market.
A Tiverton native, Brower said she has learned about local politics and issues, such as the town not being open to more gas stations.
But she said welcoming more businesses and tapping into the talents of its residents might be Tiverton’s best economic move, especially with more affordable housing coming to town.
What's being planned in Tiverton? A look at housing and shoreline proposals
Brower said she's hoping a merchants association will develop in the northern section of town. While Tiverton Four Corners is beginning to cultivate a strong business community, she'd like to see more businesses unite and thrive north of Bulgarmarsh Road.
“Trying to get all entities involved is difficult,” she said. “I’m trying to get more people [involved] and a combined community.”
Potential for hotel industry
Through her board position on Discover Newport, Brower has learned that the hotel industry is thriving more in Middletown and Newport than in Providence.
She has also learned that Tiverton and Warren receive no hotel tax benefits, something that could change with the opening of a casino in Tiverton. There is a hotel on site, but it has not opened.
Brower said she would also like to get more events booked in Tiverton, such as some of the daffodil events in Rhode Island and South Coast Massachusetts, and help the town capitalize on its rich coastline, beautiful land and talented people.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Tiverton Farmers Market director sees business growth potential in town
