Last Friday, we had the pleasure of hosting an EPIC party here at Vibe.
With the help of Poulsbo City Mayor Becky Erickson, the Poulsbo Chamber of Commerce and nearly 300 other special guests it was more than a just another Poulsbo ribbon cutting: it was a legit celebration of our move into The Centennial and all of the hard work, triumphs and shared achievements that have gotten us to where we are today. The pics are most certainly worth a share, but so too, are the remarks made by Vibe Cofounder and CEO Alanna Imbach.
Thank you for being part of our story.
* * * * * * * * *
“Marcel and I debated whether to have any speaking moments tonight or just stick with full, uninhibited celebration. That’s what tonight is, a celebration for the ages. But we just couldn’t get away from needing to share a few words with you all.
You see, the #1 thing we’ve heard people say when they see this space for the first time is “I can’t believe I’m still in Poulsbo.” Or “Am I really in Poulsbo?”
We even had one guest suggest that we should get a video clip running on the screen behind the welcome desk of Dorothy, warning everyone they’re not in Kansas anymore.
But here’s the thing: as you look around tonight at the hundreds of photos hung across our walls, it becomes glaringly obvious that this building, this space, the entire Vibe community is as Poulsbo as is gets. Vibe has been:
-
built by a company that has been building here in Kitsap for over 60 years
-
designed by a firm that’s been redefining the architecture of our region for over 3 decades
-
branded by a Poulsbo-based agency as wildly talented as they are well known for their contributions to some of our community’s most high-impact nonprofits
-
championed by Poulsbo City leadership
-
financed by life-long Kitsap residents and institutions who believe fiercely in what this community is, and what it has the potential to be
-
shaped by the hearts, minds and moral support of more than 40 Founding members and Corporate Catalysts
-
made colorful by artists and more artists who are breathing new life into the Kitsap art + culture scene, and
-
founded by Marcel and myself — a proud North Kitsap High School grad, born and raised smack dab on the Poulsbo-Silverdale county line, bound and determined to be able to do the work that I love, from the place that I love.
If you walk away with just one thing tonight, I want you to understand that Vibe as we are seeing and experiencing it tonight could never have happened anywhere but here.
This IS Poulsbo, and it’s something we should all be incredibly proud of.
My hope for all of you here tonight is that you now take what we’ve collectively created and fly with it.
Hold your meetings here.
Join us for an upcoming event.
Begin to dream those impossible dreams and leverage the skills, talent and resources of all of your friends and neighbors to take those ideas out of the box you’ve been keeping under your bed. Run with those.
THAT is what being here at Vibe is all about.
Thank you for celebrating with us.
