Nick-A-Nees

Providence, Rhode Island

Located in downtown Providence’s Jewelry District, Nick-A-Nees is a classic cash only, jukebox-fueled dive bar encased in a green cinderblock building. The front door extends off of the parking lot that surrounds the green-painted building, a simple sign with the name of the Providence dive bar the only real suggestion that drinks can be found within. Cash-only and dog friendly, Nick-A-Nees was opened in 1996 by Stephanie Finizia and soon after nicknamed a “heavenly dive” presumably due to its ability to provide a bit of a dive bar oasis in the city’s downtown core. The name of the bar comes from owner Finizia’s mispronunciation of her own first name as a young child.

The Nick-A-Nees calling card is live music, specifically bluegrass focused on a weekly Wednesday showcase called the Bluegrass Throedown. Cold weather draws crowds inside for live music on what is more an “area” than a stage inside while during summer months, an elevated stage out back makes use of the parking lot for an expansive live music setting. String lights hang down from exposed metal roofing inside, helping create a vibe of watching live music in a dive bar shack.

The Basics

Classification:
Downtown Dive

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Further Reading