The Silverdale Chamber of Commerce held its ribbon-cutting ceremony last week for their new Visitor Information Center inside the Kitsap Mall just outside of Macy’s.

The community organization Silverdale Greendrinks hosted the event with the first 130 people receiving a free wine glass. Harrison Hospital catered the food and Cash Brewing Company provided drinks. Silverdale Chamber President Kathleen Gordon said the new space will provide more exposure, given the foot traffic in the Kitsap Mall. The chamber is slated to do several business expos at the mall this year and will begin workshops in March for people coming to the area.

The new Visitor Information Center now has two large projectors running videos that promote local businesses and events, which will be easily seen by passersby. The new space also provides a variety of brochures, along with business cards and a directory of chamber members. A large touch screen kiosk will also be placed in the center of the mall corridor between Macy’s and the Silverdale Chamber.

“This will promote and encourage visitors to come to Kitsap for a variety of reasons,” Gordon said. “Business tourism is a huge part of what we are promoting.”

Gordon also talked about how the placement in the Kitsap Mall will create more natural interest from folks who are out shopping.

“Silverdale Chamber is very active in the community. We have seen an increase in walk-in visitors asking a myriad of questions from maps of the area, what new businesses have come to the area, new people to the area looking for housing, where the DMV is located, where to eat and experience great food, what kind of recreation is available, and how to obtain a business license. In our prior location, we were a specific destination, where now, people see us as they are out and about.”

The Silverdale Chamber of Commerce was previously located at 3100 Bucklin Hill Road Suite 100. Gordon said they have been planning the move for the last nine months and had been in talks with Kitsap Mall for the past two years. The chamber is an independent, nonprofit corporation that has represented businesses and community-minded individuals for over 40 years.