Fall River company spearheading project to turn 20 shipping containers into Bristol County retail outlet, open air market

A Fall River company has big plans to bring new life to a Bristol County property where a factory once stood.

According to Taunton Economic & Community Development Director Jay Pateakos, the site of the former Bacon Felt factory at 395 West Water Street will be a site the City hopes will be a focal point of economic development for decades to come.

Joseph Holdiman, lead developer at RCSI Property LLC. at 10 Purchase Street, has his eyes on creating a 20 shipping container retail outlet at the 3.87-acre site as well as an open-air market (for a farmer’s market, outdoor yoga and yard games), a brewery, bike/kayak/canoe rental store (remember the Taunton River Rail Trail is planned across from Bacon Felt) and more.

“This is a proven process used in a lot of cities and it works,” said Holdiman. While not prevalent in New England (Providence has 1 and Wrentham now has 2), other parts of the country like Florida have had years of success with shipping container retail plazas, some set up in defunct mall parking lots. Other famous shipping container retail sites include Downtown Container Park in Las Vegas, Common Ground in Seoul, Korea and RE: Start in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Dubbed Holistic Urbanism, Holdiman said these types of projects are rooted in the community, designed to be self-sustaining and environmentally sound that will help engage a community and increase the quality of life of those around it.

Holdiman has a number of businesses ready to go at the site including a distillery, cafe, kayak rental, a yoga business and more. He aims to be open for the spring of 2026.