It was a beautiful day “at work” for the West Sound magazine team. We spent Aug. 19 exploring downtown Port Orchard and Bremerton with knowledgeable guides Sarah and Josh Johnson, who own and operate Love Kitsap, a tourism company that promotes the Kitsap area.
The tour began at Josephine’s Mercantile, where the team browsed antiques and sipped coffee from Mercantile Coffee Co. Staff writer Katerina Wearn tried a white iced espresso that didn’t disappoint. The shop also serves Dirty Sodas, which are gaining in popularity.
Across the street, we checked out Gathered by Jo’s, and inside of that, Revin’ Redo, a light-filled event space with a deep local backstory: the building once housed the Ford Motor Co. more than a century ago. A vintage Ford and other relics from the building’s past are still part of the space today. Through both stops, we learned about the owner of the buildings, Sam Smith, and how his family is running the various businesses and keeping the past and future of Port Orchard vital.
We also got a peek at The Bisque, a new pottery studio owned and operated by Teri Erasmus.
Then we hopped aboard the historic Carlisle II foot ferry to Bremerton that showcased how easy it is to get back and forth from the two areas. In Bremerton, the tour included visits to Char Kitchen, Quincy Square, Kitsap History Museum, Ballast Books, Bigfoot’s House of Vinyl Records, and more.
When we returned to Port Orchard, the team ate lunch at Brickhouse Bar + Grill. The fish and chips were hot, crunchy perfection, and the tartar sauce was addictive. The team then met with Port Orchard leaders and downtown stakeholders, including representatives from Kitsap Bank, Port Orchard City Council, the Port Orchard Waterfront Association, G Anderson Group, BJC Group, John L. Scott, and Salmonberry Books.