With the south tower of Newport’s Shore Club already finished and the North tower advancing rapidly, it is only a matter of time before the much hyped River Market opens. Residents hoping for a true shopping district though are likely to be disappointed.

Retail space has always been a part of the Newport development, most notably the Newport Mall. But shopping in a mall is not at all the same thing as browsing boutiques or sipping coffee at an outdoor cafe. Existing storefronts along the streets of Newport don’t really offer much in the way of a shopping, providing residents with services like dry cleaning and ATMs. Many hoped the River market would change this, bringing a shopping district more akin to an actual downtown to the Newport neighborhood.

Residents may be dismayed to learn though that only five shops will be opening beneath the Shore Club, in addition to a grocery store and of course, another bank. Three 1200 square foot storefronts are available and two larger ones, according to this marketing brochure (PDF). Retail this may be, but a shopping district it is not.