Tacoma Propeller Club was the gracious Chamber After Hours host this month! The event was held at the Fabulich Center, where attendees could enjoy the building’s shaded garden space and open first floor plan, which made for a comfortable atmosphere to network in the mid-summer heat.  

Tacoma Propeller Club has been supporting the community and Port industries of Tacoma since 1936. The organization is passionate about their mission to promote and support the Puget Sound maritime industry through adult and youth education. Each year, the Tacoma Propeller Club hosts a large Salmon Bake which becomes the perfect opportunity to teach the public about who they are and what they do.  

​Similarly, this month’s Chamber After Hours was also a great opportunity to share the wealth of knowledge. Several guests hadn’t known what Tacoma Propeller Club was, and others had also never visited the Fabulich Center. By the end of the night, everyone left with a better understanding of the day-to-day operations of Tacoma Propeller Club. It was wonderful to see several of their Board Members also attended the event and they were eager to share more about their organization.  
 
Thank you to all who attended July’s After Hours, as well as a special ‘thank you’ to Tacoma Propeller Club for being a fantastic host! Learn more about Tacoma Propeller Club and their work by visiting their website. 

Website: https://www.tacomapropellerclub.com  ​

​If you were unable to attend July’s Chamber After Hours and want to join us in August, please register here. This next After Hours event will be held at the Washington State Fairgrounds!  ​

Education is a powerful tool for growth and development, and when it's tailored to the unique needs of entrepreneurs, it can be transformative. The Pierce County Business Accelerator (PCBA) program is designed to equip budding entrepreneurs with the skills and knowledge needed to take their business ventures to new heights. As two recent PCBA cohorts reached their graduation milestone, we are thrilled to celebrate with them and welcome them as Chamber members.
 
In the PCBA program, participants undergo a six-week class designed to provide them with new skills and mentorship to guide in their entrepreneurial journey, enabling them to navigate challenges and seize opportunities. It's not just about the skills learned during the program; it's also about the optimism and connections it provides. Graduates find value in the relationships formed during the program, and we are excited to provide more networking opportunities as they work to continue to grow and thrive. As these graduates embark on the next stage of their entrepreneurial journeys, we take a moment to celebrate them and all their achievements.

View photos from the Cohort 17 & 18 graduations below and learn more about the Pierce County Business Accelerator at www.pcba.biz!

​We love our ambassador team and are very grateful to have their support! Our Chamber ambassadors are an extension of the Chamber staff, allowing our members to have more points of contact. We want to highlight each ambassador as a 'thank you' for their continued support and dedication that they put into the ambassador team.

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​We asked each ambassador a set of questions in an effort to become better acquainted and get a preview of their life outside of ambassador work. Our ambassador highlight for July is the amazing Jessica Johnston!

Life as an Ambassador

Three words Jessica used to describe being an ambassador were “Gratitude, Honor, and Connection.”
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Jessica has only been a member since January of this year but has already proven to be a valuable member of the ambassador team. She says “I take pride in sharing the tools and opportunities the Chamber provides with those considering joining. Making these connections and witnessing entrepreneurs turning their dreams into fully supported businesses brings me great satisfaction.”
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Jessica’s great grandparents were the owners of the first TV and Appliance store in West Seattle, influencing her family to advocate for small businesses and inspire others for the community. This has prompted her passion for being an ambassador because of the support and involvement for local businesses in Tacoma-Pierce County.


Life Outside of Being an Ambassador

Outside of Ambassador life, Jessica is the Director of Court House Square in Downtown Tacoma and the KSP building on Hilltop. She also volunteers as the Chair of the City Events and Recognition Committee (CERC) for the City of Tacoma. This committee organizes the annual MLK celebration, City of Destiny Awards, Special Events Funding program, and much more. For her, this holds significance as she contributes to recognizing and celebrating the positive differences made by individuals within
​our city.
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Additionally, Jessica continues to be heavily involved with the City of Tacoma by working with Tacoma’s Venue and Events. It is abundantly clear how dedicated Jessica is to her community and its people!
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The Chamber looks forward to continuing to work alongside Johnston to make a positive and meaningful impact together.

Connect with Jessica
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If you would like to get in contact with Jessica to gain more information about the Chamber or Court House Square, you can reach her here: [email protected]

​​Interested in learning more about what it takes to be a Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber ambassador? Learn more here.

​Surrounded by family and friends, Alicia Ortiz, owner of ‘Hey, Beautiful LLC’ celebrated the grand opening of her makeup and beauty shop in the Point Ruston Market on July 12th. In this shop, you will find a range of beauty and skincare products with brands such as Anastasia Beverly Hills, The Creme Shop, Haus of Glam, Beauty Creations, and much more.
 
Point Ruston Market makes the perfect host venue for Hey, Beautiful LLC since hundreds of people come to the market every day. Stepping into Alicia’s portion of the market transforms you into a pink wonderland filled with glam decor, florals, and even a vanity for you to look in the mirror. Inventory is fully stocked with each product for varieties to fit every style and skin tone, making you really want to treat yourself!
 
Alicia is so excited about this new journey and the Chamber wants to thank her for inviting us to celebrate with her. The next time you want a good facemask or aren’t sure what to get someone as a gift, check out Hey, Beautiful LLC and you’ll quickly find what you need!

Phone: (253) 468-2224

Back in March 2024, the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber hosted a handful of Pierce County middle school students in the National Civics Bee Local Bee competition. The three finalists from this Local Bee were then invited to compete in the Washington State Civics Bee, in which participating Chamber’s from across the state would bring their Local Bee finalists to compete as well. The Association of Washington Businesses (AWB) administers the Washington State Civics Bee.
 
Thirteen of the state’s most civic-minded middle schoolers came to Olympia, WA, on June 29th, ready to put their knowledge to the test. Three of those students came from Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber’s Local Bee: Troy Smith, Eatonville Middle School; Benjamin Wu, Curtis Junior High School; and Brayden Fieber, Harbor Ridge Middle School.
 
The Minnaert Center for Performing Arts was the perfect venue for the Washington State Finals. The theater was full of supporters, all sending good wishes to their respective students. Lieutenant Governor Denny Heck served as emcee for the two rounds of competition, followed by announcing the five names who would be moving onto the third round.
 
We are very proud of each student for their hard work in the two rounds. We were excited to see Benjamin Wu placed in the top five for round three go on to win second place in the Washington State Civics Bee. Third place went to Athena Strickler of Garrison Middle School (Walla Walla Valley Chamber of Commerce). First place went to Ilyannie Gonzalez from Washington Virtual Academy (South Kitsap Chamber of Commerce). Gonzalez will move onto the National Civics Bee in Washington D.C., this November.
 
Students and attendees of the Washington State Finals were invited to stick around after the competition to take a private tour of the Capitol. On the tour, attendees visited Lieutenant Governor Heck’s office and the observation deck, while learning more about each room. An exclusive peek to the private reception room was provided, which is usually not part of standard tours. The tour guide made an exception, and guests were able to sit on the luxurious couches and learn what types of events took place in the ballroom.
 
After wandering the halls observing the chandeliers, marble walls, and stonework, the tour ended at the gallery of construction photos. These photos showed the Legislative Building being erected back in the 1920’s from start to finish. It was fascinating to see just how quickly the building went from the ground up.
 
Overall, it was a wonderful day to celebrate the hardworking students who have dedicated many months, both while in school and on summer break, to honing their engagement in civics topics.

Around The Clock Child Care Center (ATC) has grown yet again – with facilities already in Fife and Tacoma, they opened their new building in Lakewood on Monday, July 8!
 
We always appreciate Erika Snell, founder of ATC, for always including us in their grand opening celebrations, and this is no different. This new care center is brightly colored, full of various toys, games, and curricular activities, and has multiple large rooms for the children of each age group respectively.
 
Joined by future care children and their families, the extreme heat was no match for the air-conditioned facility, which everyone received a sneak peak of. Although it looks like a brand-new establishment, it has quite a history. What started as the Thunderbird Shopping Center in 1960, the strip is now called Oakbrook Plaza. Previous tenants include Blockbuster, Jackson Hewitt, a different childcare center, and even had proposals for a softball team’s batting range.
 
Pierce County Councilmember, Jani Hitchen, shared a few words during the ribbon cutting ceremony and touched on how important it is to have customized childcare in this day-and-age where many parents aren’t working the typical 9-to-5 job. ATC will be, exactly as the name implies, a 24/7 care facility. Their program values cultural and social differences, takes a Montessori approach, and goes beyond the four learning styles: visual, auditory, reading/writing preference, and kinesthetic. The teachers and caregivers are highly experienced and are passionate about child development. They also offer scholarships for families in need.
 
Erika mentioned there will be a future ribbon cutting ceremony for another location, so be sure to follow ATC’s journey!
 
Website: https://atccenter.org
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 253-368-9705

​Booktrovert: [book-tro-vert-noun] A person who prefers the company of fictional characters to real people. Shannon Grover, owner of The Lakewood Bookstore, is a self-proclaimed booktrovert.

After many years of following her spouse's vocational journey, Shannon knew she was ready to start her own. Being the booklover she is, Grover decided to open her own bookstore; a place where she would be happy to come every day and pour her passion of reading into.
The Lakewood Bookstore is in an old cellphone store, but you’d never know that once you step in. There are two floors: the main floor carries the books, and the second floor is a fun hangout spot for people to read, play games, build puzzles, or just chat. Not only are there plenty of books in the store, but there is also stationery, stuffed animals, book accessories, puzzles, and more.

On the day of the ribbon cutting, the store was full of eager guests all in awe of the inventory, the design of the store, and the overall atmosphere. Grover is a graduate of the Pierce County Business Accelerator (PCBA) Program, which is also something to be celebrated! There were fellow graduates at the ceremony, and one of them even provided reuseable shopping bags for attendees, with The Lakewood Bookstore logo proudly displayed on the face of the bag.
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We were honored to be part of this exciting business milestone and look forward to a ‘happily ever after’ for The Lakewood Bookstore!

Website: https://thelakewoodbookstore.com
Email: [email protected]
Phone: ​253-625-7913

If you have been following the Chamber for a while, you probably have attended a few of our signature events. Occurring quarterly, Chamber signature events take months of planning and significant collaboration to make them meaningful, memorable, and successful. Those events also gain the highest attendance. Our 2024 Happy Hour Business Expo was no exception – we expected over 400 attendees to come out and we were happily surprised to have 500+ people attend!

The Happy Hour Business Expo is arguably the most favorite for members (and staff) amongst our signature events. This year’s event helped kick-off summer with sunshine throughout the day, which perfectly highlighted the venue’s location at the Tacoma Narrows Marina. This was our third-year hosting HHBE at The Waterfront Venue, and guests got to experience a few new aspects this time around.

As guests entered the venue, attendees were able to receive a door prize upon entry, sign-up for special giveaways, and grab an exclusive swag bag filled with goodies to get the evening started. Live music performed by Chris Jones filled the hall, welcoming guests into the main room where 70+ local businesses awaited to network, conduct giveaways, and share amazing food and beverages. 
There was no shortage of entertainment for the night as guests took selfies in front of the giant ‘HHBE’ neon letters, savored food and desserts from beloved South Sound businesses, and enjoyed the event’s signature cocktails – the Chamber margarita and huckleberry lemon drop.

Thank you to our sponsors, vendors, attendees, and staff who helped make this year’s expo a memorable night. We can't wait to see what surprises await in next year’s Happy Hour Business Expo! ​

Event Sponsors

Title Sponsor: Amazon

Supporting Sponsor: Verizon

Swag Bag Sponsor: Business Health Trust (BHT)

Parking Lot Sponsor: GTM Transformations LLC

Community Table Sponsors: BECU & Umpqua Bank

Silver Sponsor: Silver Cloud Hotel Tacoma at Point Ruston Waterfront

Media Sponsors: Lamar Advertising & South Sound Business (PMG)

Door Prize Sponsor: Emerald Downs

Giveaway Prize Sponsors: Brassfields Salon and Spa, MaidPro Tacoma & Lemay - America's Car Museum