Can Hipsters Save Providence?
7th June 2015
Providence regularly lands on the lists of top hipster cities and top hipster colleges for its cool factor, having earned plaudits from Travel and Leisure to Buzzfeed for live music, coffee shops, and hip culture.
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“There are not enough “hipsters” to plausibly resurrect the urban economies of America,” said Renn. “If you’re in downtown Providence, in the proximity to its center, you can live an eminently hipster lifestyle, and ask yourself, ‘Where would Providence be without it?’ And it would probably not be as great.”
“Is that the solution to the jobs issue on the south side of Providence? No. [The hipster economy] has its positives, but it’s something that’s happening more now everywhere,” said Renn. “I was just in Indianapolis. There were plenty of beards, plaid shirts, and locally sourced food there.”