Third Generation Family-Owned Business Is Not Going Down Without a Fight

A mainstay on Brown Street in Wickford Village, RI since 1944, Wilson’s of Wickford is facing closing their doors after 70 years in business. However, this third generation family-owned business is not going down without a fight. Wilson’s is turning to an unorthodox strategy to keep their doors open, which has been successful for some other small retail businesses across the country.

They have posted a call for support today on the fundraising social platform, Crowdtilt. Crowdtilt is a platform that makes it easy for groups and communities to come together to support causes and make things happen. The way it works is a person or company in need puts an ask letter together with a request to reach a fundraising goal. If that goal is reached or “tilted,” then all the funds raised are granted to the cause. If the goal is not tilted, none of the partial funds are awarded and all money is returned to the donors.

Wilson’s target for this donation campaign is $148,000, the amount of funds they need to turn the store around. The money will provide funds to pay vendors to ship the fall inventory, add new exciting product lines, develop an e-commerce site to reach customers all over the country, and purchase new accounting and point of sale software to increase efficiency.

If $148,000 is not raised by Monday, July 28th, the campaign will be cancelled due to the vendor payments that are necessary for fall inventory. If Wilson's is unable to raise the money, the store will cease operations likely sometime in August.

About Wilson’s of Wickford
Wilson’s of Wickford  has been a mainstay on Brown Street, Wickford Village, and North Kingstown since 1944. For 70 years the family-owned business has offered quality merchandise, friendly personal service, and value with an emphasis on American made apparel.