Faces of Fall River #9: Joseph Holdiman

Meet Joseph Holdiman, an entrepreneur and a key player in beautifying Purchase Street in downtown Fall River.

Born in Basin City, Washington, a small farming community of 350 people, Joe’s mother would eventually move him and his sister to Seattle, Washington and then to Norwich, Connecticut for work.

As an adult, Joe and his ex-husband built a home and settled down in South Dartmouth, Massachusetts.

Joe’s Fall River story began when he moved to the Highlands in Fall River in 2012. Having passion for real estate and businesses, and seeing the potential of downtown Fall River, Joe purchased the Buffington building on Purchase Street and shortly after opening Thyme Blossom, a popular eatery and cafe, in 2019.

Joe’s incubator program, where he provides economic support and guidance to help young entrepreneurs, has helped businesses like Bun Buds and Cafe Balboa get their start.

In 2023, with Joe’s leadership and energy, and help from people like Patti Rego, North Main Historic Downtown District, or NoMa, was born – an organization started in downtown Fall River where they “turn ordinary blocks into pop-up galleries, taste trails, night markets and multicultural festivals that power small business and spark community pride.” In 2026, the organization has a newsletter of 140 business and will host 32 events.

“My goal has always been to bring local businesses together to improve Fall River,” Joe replied when asked about NoMa.

“What speaks to me most about Fall River is it’s a place where people are told it can’t be anything, but it often becomes something amazing. We are constantly told we can’t have nice things, but NoMa shows that it’s not the case.”

Faces of Fall River is a series by Michael Silvia. You can see the previous Faces of Fall River here. If you know a good candidate, email info@fallriverreporter.com.