SK resident wants you to feel the ‘Main Street Vibe’ | News

SOUTH KINGSTOWN, RI — Looking for some healthy shakes, some energizing teas and coffee with protein, stop by Main Street Vibe at 359 Main St., in Wakefield, for a taste.

Owner Jennifer Nerbonne, a single mother with sons 16, 18 and 20 who also enjoy these specialty drinks, is stepping into her first business venture with Main Street Vibe.

“I like to be healthy and I think these products are healthy for anyone,” she said, adding with a laugh, “and my kids liked them, so I said, why not start a business.”

Nerbonne wants the store to have an atmosphere that encourages socializing and hanging out, no different than local coffee shops like Java Madness, Starbucks, Café and Cool Beans Cafe.

However, Main street vibe is not your typical coffee shop and patrons will find that immediately walking in the door during operating hours Monday through Friday from 7:30 am to 3 pm, and on Saturdays from 8 am to 2 pm

Some tastes of her offerings came sliding off her tongue during a recent interview.

For example, healthy protein shakes include banana blueberry bread, peanut butter chocolate banana and pumpkin pie.

But if that’s not quite your style and you prefer tea, she’s got three levels of tea. Yes, three levels.

First is Herbalife Nutrition mixes in basic tea that can come with aloe and various flavors including mango, cranberry and mandarin that has a vanilla and spicy component in its flavor profile.

In raising the ante, next comes “Liftoff” with that shot of caffeine to get the wheels turning – or keep the wheels turning – during the day.

Going beyond that point, she offers “Mega,” which includes nature’s raw guarana and boosts energy and focus, Nerbonne said.

It doesn’t stop with teas and shakes. Some coffee can come hot or iced and contains protein supplements. There are also various flavors, she said.

Nerbonne said that she still works for drug company Pfizer full-time in computers and technology, but plans to transition into working only at her business.

A more than 20-year resident of South Kingstown, she said that she wanted to open a business locally and in the quaint downtown area.

“It’s a wonderful community, it supports its businesses and those in downtown Wakefield support each other, and I wanted to get involved in bringing health and fitness into the community,” she said.

South Kingstown

Southern Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce plans a red-carpet event for the 2022 Chamber Choice Awards Ceremony with dinner and silent auction. It will be held Saturday, May 14, at 6 pm, at Laurel Lane Country Club, 309 Laurel Lane, West Kingston, RI 02892.

Individual tickets are $65 and a table of 10 is $600. To purchase your tickets contact the Southern RI Chamber of Commerce at 401-783-2801.

The Southern Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce is awarding a $1,000 scholarship to a high school senior in Southern Rhode Island in recognition of academic excellence and community service.

All applications need to be submitted by midnight on June 10, 2022. The winner will be announced in late June. Each applicant must have a chamber member sponsor. Chamber members can sponsor only one applicant.

Essay Question: The mission of the chamber is to “support and enhance the business community of Southern Rhode Island and create opportunities for the growth and development of its member businesses.” In your own words, how would you implement this mission?

Directions:

1) Complete all sections of the application that can be obtained by writing to the chamber at [email protected]

2) Find a Chamber member sponsor (chamber members can be found on our website www.srichamber.com)

3) Submitted essays must be between 500 and 750 words maximum.

4) Attach a separate sheet for: honors and awards, community service, extra-curricular activities and employment information. Applications can return completed applications to the Southern Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce by midnight June 10, 2022 by fax 401-789-3120 or email [email protected]

Brickley’s Ice Cream on Main Street in Wakefield has announced it is opening March 24 for the upcoming season.

North Kingstown

North Kingstown Chamber of Commerce will host its “Engaging Evenings” event Mar 23 from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm at Tate’s Italian Kitchen, 64 Brown Street, North Kingstown, with a cost of $10 for chamber members and $15 for guests.

The annual meeting of the North Kingstown Chamber of Commerce will be held April 5, at Quidnessett Country Club in North Kingstown. It will feature guest speaker American Banking Association President and Chief Executive Officer Rob Nichols.

“I’m honored to join the North Kingstown Chamber of Commerce for its annual meeting,” Nichols said.

“Our industry has played a pivotal role in helping businesses and our economy recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, and banks of all sizes will continue to meet the needs of their customers, clients and communities in Rhode Island and across the country going forward, he said.

Nichols oversees the American Banking Association that represents banks of all sizes and charters and is the voice for the nation’s $17 trillion banking industry.

In 2020, he was elected Chairman of the International Banking Federation, an international organization whose members include the national banking trade associations representing every major financial center.

He is the recipient of the Alexander Hamilton Award, the highest honor of the US Department of Treasury. He is ranked as one of Washington’s Top Lobbyists by The Hill and was recently described as one of the “new generation of trade group CEOs” by The Washington Post.

South County

“Eat Drink Support 2022” is a program to help local restaurants and others Southern Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce members this winter.

From February 1 through May 31, community members that choose to buy gift certificates and merchandise, dine in, or order takeout from the restaurants and other member businesses listed below will have the opportunity to submit their receipt to the chamber.

They will be awarded one contest entry per dollar spent (tax and tip included). As a bonus, every dollar spent Monday-Thursday will be worth two contest entries. The chamber will hold a monthly drawing in March, April, and May and a final grand prize drawing in June.

Prizes – Monthly drawings (April 1 and May 2): $50 chamber gift certificate.

Grand prize drawing (June 3) awarded in chamber gift certificates – First prize – $500, second prize – $250 and third prize – $100.

How to submit receipts – Email a copy of your receipt to [email protected] along with your full name and phone number.

Eligible businesses include: Alaina’s Ale House, Arturo Joe’s, Audrey’s Coffee House & Lounge, Aunt Carrie’s Restaurant, Bluebird Café, Bon Vue / 1230 Ocean Bistro, Breachway Grill, Chair 5 at The Break Hotel, Brickley’s Ice Cream, BSquared Prepared, ButterHead Sandwich Co., Caf Bar, Cantina Del Rio (Wakefield), Cap’n Jacks Restaurant, Charlestown Rathskeller, Chophouse Grille, Clove Garden Resto Bar, Coast Guard House, Coffee N Bagel Connection, Cool Beans Cafe, Crazy Burger, Dragon Palace of Wakefield , Duck Press Kitchen & Bar, Dunkin (S. County Locations), Exeter Country Club, Fenner Hill Country Club, Gansett Nutrition of Mariner Square, George’s of Galilee Restaurant, Go Pasta, Island Deli Sandwich Shop, Island Time Catering Co., Java Madness, Kabuki Japanese Restaurant, Laurel Lane Country Club, Loafing Around LLC, Locanda RI, Main Street Vibe, Mariner Grille, Matunuck Oyster Bar, Matunuck Pizza Pie Company, Meldgie’s Rivers Edge Cafe, Mews Tavern, Milk Caffe, New Dragon, Nutriti on Dynamix, Ocean Mist, Old Mountain Lanes Coffee Shop/ Camden’s Restaurant, Pasquale’s Pizzeria Napoletana, PHIL’S Main Street Grille, Providence Bagel, Rachel’s Café, Raw Bob’s Organic Juicery, Richmond Country Club, Rose Hill Golf Club, Sa-Tang Restaurant, Shaidzon Beer Company, Shepherd’s Run, South County Bread Company, Spain of Narragansett, Tapped Apple Cidery & Winery, Tavern By The Sea, Tavern on Main, Thai’s Best Cuisine, The Bike Stop Café, The Coastal Cabin Restaurant, The Cove, The Flatts Restaurant , The Nordic, The Pub, Trattoria Romana South, Trio Restaurant, T’s Narragansett, Twin Willows, West Passage Brewing Company and Whalers Brewing Company, LLC

Congratulations to the following businesses who celebrated their yearly anniversaries as Southern Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce members last month: Blakely Interior Design, Simply You Photography, Namra Consulting Group LLC, OPT Physical Therapy, RPS Group, Inc., Barnum Financial Group, Dollars And Sense Bookkeeping, LFI, Inc., Conanicut Marine Services Inc., Orson and Brusini, LTD, Rhode Island Monthly Communications, Inc., South County Hospital, Lennon Insurance Agency, LLC, Pike Insurance, LLC, Brickley’s Ice Cream, TownePlace Suites by Marriott in North Kingstown, Stone Cove Marina, Inc., GFWC- Women’s Club of South County, South Kingstown Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, Linda Musch Food Safety, Training and Consulting, Loafing Around LLC, Highland Farm, Pranzi Tents and Events, Pawtucket Credit Union, Edward Jones – Leah Gardiner – Financial Advisor, Brook Insurance Associates, LLC, CODAC Behavioral Healthcare, Chelsea Groton Bank, Happy Trees Painting, Immaculate Interiors, C heck List Errand Service, Aqua Blue, Automated Business Solutions, Worden Pond Family Campground, Barry Gross Remax Flagship, DiStefano Brothers Construction, Inc., Shamrock Financial, Michael K. Marran, Esq.

The following businesses have joined the Southern Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce, Executive Director Joe Many announced recently: Shepherd’s Run, Susan Denice, South Kingstown; The Maddie Potts Foundation, Stephanie Potts, Hope Valley; South County Psychiatry, Anthony Gallo, North Kingstown; Clove Garden Resto Bar, Caleb Benjamin, Wakefield; Tipping Point Recovery, Inc., Kate Duffy, North Kingstown; Children’s Wishes Rhode Island, Mary O’Rourke, Warwick; Ocean Catch Seafood LLC, Jane Karako, Wakefield; All That Matters Yoga + Wellness, Michele Maker, Wakefield; Southern Rhode Island Volunteers, Debra Tanner, Charlestown; Main Street Home Loans, David Travers, Wakefield; BizMick Construction LLC, Michael Lamondy, Coventry, RI; Personalized Care Coordination, LLC, Michelle Kissinger, Carolina; The-sew-op, Suzanne Mancini, North Kingstown; Flatfish Cottage, Jim Fusaro, South Kingstown; Crops Barber & Beauty LLC, Madelyn Selwyn, Kingston; Anchor Sports, Josh Rosen, Wakefield; Gansett Maids, Kelly Hite, Narragansett

The Southern Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce gift certificates are the perfect gift for any occasion, said Joe Viel chamber executive director.

The gift certificates come in $10, $25, and $50 increments and are available for purchase at our office (230 Old Tower Hill Road, Wakefield, RI) or by phone (401-783-2801). These gift certificates are accepted at over 200 local businesses.

By purchasing Chamber Gift Certificates, consumers keep their shopping dollars local and makes gift giving easier, he said. A current list of member businesses that accept the gift certificates can be found on the chamber’s website (srichamber.com).

Community business events

• March 10 to April 2 – Open Juried Paint, Print, and Drawing Annual at South County Art Association.
• March 11 – Top 5 Fiend Presents Dred Buffalo, Well Wisher, Zigmont, Skyline In Stereo at Pump House Music Works.
• March 12 – Local author and journal enthusiast, Dawn Paoletta at signing and seminar at Rarities Books & Bindery.
• March 12 – Julie Rhodes and The Electric Company at Pump House Music Works.
• March 17 – Saddle Up The Chicken – St. Patty’s Day Celebration at Pump House Music Works.
• March 19 – The Elvis & Orbison Show at Courthouse Center For The Arts.
• March 19 – Save One Soul Animal Rescue League (SOSARL) adoption event.
• March 19 – The Winery Comedy Tour @ Tapped Apple Cidery & Winery.
• March 26 – Funny 4 Fido (SOSARL fundraiser) at Harbor Lights.