Last week the Greater Everett Chamber of Commerce held its inaugural “Lunch and Learn event.”
The Everett Chamber first formed in 1892 and then ran for 119 years before shutting down in 2011. In August 2024, the Everett City Council voted unanimously to spend $600,000 in ARPA dollars to resurrect the Chamber.
The Everett Chamber’s first event had a historical feel to it, as it was held in the 1921 Masonic Temple/Knights of Columbus building, formerly known as Club Broadway, and now known as the Apex Art & Cultural Center Building.
The featured speaker was John Carswell, owner of the building and the largest and most historic collection of urban and graffiti art. He also serves on the board for the new chamber.
Carswell shared the history of Everett, including the fun fact that the 16Eleven Restaurant attendees were currently eating in used to be a basketball court. He described the journey that led him to choose to invest in Everett instead of other cities.
The event attracted a variety of attendees, including small business owners, non-profit execs, bankers, media, and corporateĀ reps. In total, about 125 people attended.
One of those people was Everett City Councilmember Ben Zarlingo. During the council meeting the next day, he stated:
It’s clear the new chamber is addressing an unmet need, and should have great leverage in Everett’s prosperity.
The chamber is headed by Wendy Poischbeg, who was the former interim CEO and President of the Economic Alliance of Snohomish County.
Currently the chamber has about 80 members, but only 48 are currently listed in the online directory. Initially the chamber had four tiers. However, recent website changes may indicate the lowest tier is going away. If this happens, it will be tied with Seattle as the most expensive chamber in the area.
The Lunch and Learn events are held monthly. The February event, titled Everett Rising: Developers Shaping Our City, takes place on February 19th at 11:30 a.m.
January 22, 2025
Everett Economy, Downtown Everett