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Believe 2026: Putting 14 Eastside Nonprofits in the Spotlight
Believe 2026: Putting 14 Eastside Nonprofits in the Spotlight

Inside Believe 2026, the Bellevue Chamber's third annual showcase at the Botanical Garden spotlighting 14 smaller and newer Eastside nonprofits. Joe Fain on the need behind Bellevue's reputation, plus Councilmember Claire Sumadiwirya on why nonprofits are the community's soul. Continue Reading

Date posted06/3/2026


Know Before You Go: 2026 Bellevue Regional Awards Gala
Know Before You Go: 2026 Bellevue Regional Awards Gala

Everything you need to know before the 2026 Bellevue Regional Awards Gala (BRAG) on June 5 at the Hyatt Regency Bellevue: schedule, live and silent auction, awards, raffle, dress code, and how to bid. Continue Reading

Date posted05/27/2026


Honda Auto Center of Bellevue completely remodeled dealership, celebrates 45+ years of service
Honda Auto Center of Bellevue completely remodeled dealership, celebrates 45+ years of service

Honda Auto Center of Bellevue, Washington's #1 volume Honda dealer for 45 years, celebrates the Grand Re-Opening of its newly renovated dealership and four-plus decades of family-led service to the community. Continue Reading

Date posted05/27/2026


West Side Story Brings Seattle's Toughest Questions to Bellevue
West Side Story Brings Seattle's Toughest Questions to Bellevue

Inside our West Side Story Chamber Lunch with Seattle Metro Chamber CEO Joe Nguyen, Downtown Seattle Association CEO Jon Scholes, and West Coast Commercial Realty's Tiffini Connell on the Jumpstart tax, $10B in lost downtown office value, public-safety cameras, and the 24-day countdown to FIFA. Continue Reading

Date posted05/26/2026


Main Street Is Evolving in Bellevue: How a New Generation of Entrepreneurs Is Taking Charge
Main Street Is Evolving in Bellevue: How a New Generation of Entrepreneurs Is Taking Charge

Comcast Business Pacific Northwest VP Rob Brenner on how Bellevue's Main Street is evolving with a new generation of entrepreneurs, and what it takes to grow a small business in 2026. Continue Reading

Date posted05/19/2026


Gustavo Apiti Couture: A Decade of Bespoke Tailoring in Bellevue
Gustavo Apiti Couture: A Decade of Bespoke Tailoring in Bellevue

Bellevue couture house Gustavo Apiti Couture marks a decade in the city, dressing Russell Wilson and Jay Inslee from a single studio. Founder Gustavo Apiti, a Project Runway finalist and African Achievement Award winner, preps the L'Âme du Luxe en Couture S/S 2026 runway show this spring. Continue Reading

Date posted05/18/2026


EBRT Recap: Dow Constantine on Sound Transit's $35B Reset and a Region That's Done Debating Transit
EBRT Recap: Dow Constantine on Sound Transit's $35B Reset and a Region That's Done Debating Transit

Sound Transit CEO Dow Constantine closed the Chamber's 2025-2026 EBRT season with the agency's revised system plan, the path to close a $35B deficit, a fare-gate pilot at up to 14 stations, a coming fleet replacement order, and Sound Transit's all-hands plan for next month's FIFA World Cup. Continue Reading

Date posted05/14/2026


Meet the New Members: Businesses That Joined in April
Meet the New Members: Businesses That Joined in April

Nineteen new businesses joined the Bellevue Chamber in April 2026, spanning hospitality, healthcare, professional services, home services, and the arts. Meet the newest members of the Eastside business network. Continue Reading

Date posted05/6/2026


EKCC Legislative Wrap Up: What the 2026 Session Left Behind
EKCC Legislative Wrap Up: What the 2026 Session Left Behind

Inside the EKCC Legislative Wrap Up at Bellevue College: a recap of what the 2026 session left behind, with seven Eastside lawmakers and Microsoft on the structural deficit, the tax conversation, public safety, the AI shock, and the new state transmission authority. Continue Reading

Date posted05/5/2026


PLUSH Committee Urges City Council to Fix Downtown's Most-Departed Code Provisions
PLUSH Committee Urges City Council to Fix Downtown's Most-Departed Code Provisions

The Bellevue Chamber's PLUSH Committee submitted recommendations to City Council on May 4, identifying five frequently departed code provisions as barriers and requesting targeted amendments as part of Downtown Livability 2.0. Continue Reading

Date posted05/4/2026


Are Your Salaried Employees Actually Hourly Workers?
Are Your Salaried Employees Actually Hourly Workers?

Washington's exempt salary threshold hits $80,168 in 2026 and climbs toward $93,000 by 2028, by far the highest in the nation. What employers need to know about the three-part test, the multi-state comparison, and the steps to take now to stay compliant and competitive. Continue Reading

Postedby Joe Fain
Date posted05/1/2026


Amazon Unveils Green Space Downtown, Dubbed “The Meadow”
Amazon Unveils Green Space Downtown, Dubbed “The Meadow”

Amazon unveiled "The Meadow," a new public green space in downtown Bellevue. The site will eventually be built out and up, but in the meantime, Amazon is opening it to the community with rotating pop-ups and installations through the warmer months. Continue Reading

Date posted04/28/2026