( PHOTOGRAPH BY WOLF MATTHEWSON )
Snapshot : The Map Center
Andrew Middleton was living in Oakland , California , and had just landed a new job when he heard the owner of a Rhode Island map store wanted to “ give the shop away .” Though he had family in southern New England , Middleton had no intention of moving cross-country — that is , until Andy Nosal , who ’ d owned the Map Center since 1981 and was looking to retire , responded to his email . “ I realized if I have two really good options , I should do the one that ’ s a better story ,” he says . A year later , Middleton is the proud owner of the Pawtucket map store , where the art of cartography remains strong , and maps reveal as much about their makers as the people who buy them . “ Maps have power . And it ’ s a power that we need to learn how to wield correctly ,” he cautions . A lifelong map afficionado who previously worked as a geographic information systems consultant , Middleton prefers contemporary maps to their antique counterparts . His shelves are stocked with designs showing everything from public transit to the ocean floor — depictions , he hopes , that will encourage empathy and inspire adventure in his customers . “ You can buy a Coca-Cola anywhere on Earth now , but I think you can still have an adventure going across town ,” he says . “ I want to encourage people to see the world a little differently .” — LAUREN CLEM
128 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l SEPTEMBER 2024