Founded, owned and operated by Stephanie Finizia (who still personally holds down the bar every Saturday night) in June of 1996, Nick-a-Nee’s is now almost 15 years in as one of the anchors of Providence’s Jewelry District, and as unarguably one of the coziest, no frills, and (have to say it) most eclectic watering holes in the city. Standing proud and tall as a dual five time Providence Phoenix winner as Best Dive Bar and Best Jukebox, the bar has been known to conjure up memories of the sorely missed Leo’s (without the menu) as place where the young and old, hipsters and square daddy’s, politicos and proletariats, rockers and mockers, collegiate and townies, and most of all, those who want a straight-up good drink, solid service, and a comfortable environment in which to blend, or go to gather. On top of it, Stephanie’s staff is small and long-standing, the pool table perpetually busy, the homemade bar food cheap and tasty, the bands (often 2-3 times a week) forever cooking’, the conversation continually flowing, with even dogs and puppies (yup- it’s totally canine friendly) welcomed into an easygoing temporary shelter, making Nick-a-Nees, in the sturdy phrase of author/sociologist Ray Oldenburg, one of The Great Good Places, an unadorned neighborhood styled bar in the midst of an ever teeming capital city.
In its wild and wooly thirteen plus year run, Nicks has truly fulfilled the unwritten requirements of a neighborhood bar, providing sustenance and sanctuary, and oft times literally acting as an extended family room or living room, as birthday parties, charity events, fundraisers, celebrations, and both weddings and funerals have taken place within its moderate confines. Nick-a-Nees has long been proud to have established itself as an integral part of the community and also a fine place to simply grab a drink without any attendant frills or accompanying nonsense. Come on in and drink up, join the congregation, be part of the ongoing camaraderie and, after ordering your drink or round, step back for a second, breathe in the inherent character of the joint and listen to the mellifluous sound of pure unadulterated bar talk-talk.