Bonita chamber building gets facelift

Renovations to the Bonita Springs Area Chamber of Commerce match the vibrant growth of the community.

The revamp finished in February, except for a few technological upgrades still in the works, including a touch-screen enhancement to the new plasma televisions where visitors can look up information on local restaurants, retail shops, lodging and other businesses.

Photo by LIANE EDIXON, Banner

Chamber of Commerce President Nancy Keefer, right, helps Pat Williams, of Naples, find a local street address.

According to chamber President Nancy Keefer, the remodel was a way to match the chamber's visitor center to the richness of the community. They accomplished that by giving the visitor's center splashes of color with paint and artwork of flamingos, golf courses and other Southwest Florida themes.

The chamber also put in custom-made, uniform, brochure racks throughout, to make looking for information easier for visitors, locals and volunteer staff.

The soon-to-be interactive plasma televisions contain videos about the area, and the two machines each have their own sound dome overhead the television, so they do not disturb other visitors.

"They'll take people on a visual tour of our community, as well," Keefer said.

According to Keefer, the visitor center now has a museum feel to it, with nicely framed and placed colorful advertisements of its members.

"It gives it a quality of life feel," Keefer said.

Other new additions include computer stations where visitors, both local and from out of town, can check their e-mail for free.

And now, when people walk through the chamber doors, the first thing they will see is a visitor greeters' desk in the middle of the center, staffed by volunteers. According to Keefer, the old inside sometimes hid visitors behind a wall.

Photo by LIANE EDIXON, Banner

Chamber President Nancy Keefer, left, and volunteer greeter Gladys Verplanke answer phones and questions at the custom-made greeter's desk.

"Somebody could walk in and not be seen," Keefer said.

The chamber moved to its location off U.S. 41 and Timberwilde Drive in May 1995, but before moving there, it was in a double-wide trailer on Terry Street. The building now started out with 4,000 square feet, but was expanded in 2001 to 6,000 square feet.

"It was one of the nicest buildings before, but we just felt there was a need to take it to the next level and use a blend of personal interaction and technology," Keefer said.

Pam Williams, of Naples, picked up brochures for her clients Wednesday at the visitor center while she waited to be assisted. She and her spouse own Minute Man Press, but often work with clients in Lee County who are starting up their own businesses. She was visiting a client in the area and needed to find out a street address.

"It's beautiful — very, very nice, " Williams said. "And, the people are friendly, too."

Often times, according to Keefer, out of town visitors will come to the Chamber of Commerce to perform small tasks or look up information. Many local chamber members use the visitor center's Shumann Law Group PA Business Center to make phone calls on the road, print materials, or even hold meetings.

"A lot of our home-based businesses will use the business center to meet first time clients, who they may not otherwise feel comfortable with yet to invite them to their home," Keefer said.

Photo by LIANE EDIXON, Banner

The Bonita Springs Area Chamber of Commerce remodeled the inside of its building to match the vibrance of the community.

The new visitor center also has a small hospitality center, themed off Florida tourism with cozy beach chairs and decor. Often people use the area to snap pictures, Keefer said.

A volunteer for the chamber, Gladys Verplanke, of Bonita Springs, answers phones, keeps up on the newspaper articles that might pertain to the chamber or its members, and assists with projects such as helping get the chamber newsletter out. Her main job though is keeping informed about Bonita Springs, so that she can answer any questions visitors might have.

"We try to be a bible resource of information in our area," Verplanke said. She makes sure everyone who comes into the chamber receives a magazine

The renovations started in October 2005, when the old facility was gutted. What used to have wood, metal and glass furniture and fixtures with no consistency, drab color and plain decor, changed within five months to a uniform, crisp, colorful, open visitor center that represents the community.

Now, Keefer describes the visitor center as warm and inviting, as well as professional.

"It's a totally different feel," Keefer added. "The chamber should certainly represent the community, and this is a great image to portray."