Credit union opens doors to unique, innovative Vibrant HQ

When Vibrant Credit Union’s brand new Moline corporate headquarters off John Deere Road officially threw open its doors to Quad Citians on Monday, Oct. 17, two things quickly became clear. Given everything contained within this unique, state-of-the-art facility – including, literally, some kitchen sinks  – no wonder it took a 140,000-square-foot building to hold it […]

When Vibrant Credit Union’s brand new Moline corporate headquarters off John Deere Road officially threw open its doors to Quad Citians on Monday, Oct. 17, two things quickly became clear.

• Given everything contained within this unique, state-of-the-art facility – including, literally, some kitchen sinks  – no wonder it took a 140,000-square-foot building to hold it all. And,
• Don’t let the nonagenarian financial institution’s age fool you – this is not your grandparents’ or your great-grandparents’ credit union.

“I think every company goes through different periods where they have to reinvent themselves or become obsolete,” Vibrant President and CEO Matt McCombs said. “We’ve been around for nearly 90 years, and there’s so much stability in that. But the financial services industry is always changing, and we need to keep our entrepreneurial spirit alive to keep up.”

In the new headquarters, innovation is everywhere including at the new state-of-the-art Vibrant branch. It’s also evident in a developing partnership with Junior Achievement of the Heartland to create a new Inspiration Center to serve middle school and high school students that will one day be housed in 14,000 square feet of Vibrant’s new space.  Overall, the former Sam’s Club is unrecognizable these days – inside and out – thanks to the amenities and services that were retrofitted into the vacant big box that had sat empty since January 2018.  Mr. McCombs told the QCBJ, the choice of the wide-open old retail building was deliberate. “We didn’t want to build something new, and because of the economy, a number of large buildings were open.” As an added bonus, rebuilding a big box ensured he could keep all his employees on one level. On Monday, visitors were treated to tours of the large headquarters of the credit union which operates branches in Illinois, Iowa and Indiana and holds more than $1 billion in assets. Just as the QCBJ told readers on May 30, Vibrant’s massive new space is more like a thriving lifestyle center, or modern-day college campus than it is a credit union headquarters.  Multiple work spaces are strewn throughout the space from cubbies to wide open spaces and glassdoor offices. (The latter, however, are not for top leaders. They work from a pod of easily accessible open cubbies.)  Sunlight flows everywhere thanks to skylights generously installed throughout the building. Among the headquarter’s unique features are: the beautiful, full-sized basketball court which can double as company-wide meeting space; a Pantry Market to grab a bite to eat; a digital wall and scrolling message board; a gameroom; a bar – free for employees who are urged to use it responsibly – with a stage; seating and meeting spaces; and a purple 1974 VW Vanagon which once served as a working ice cream truck. There also is a place where workers can buy Vibrant merchandise at a discounted price.

Coffeehouse open for business

Then there is the coffee shop, which according to Mr. McCombs is well-aligned with Vibrant’s values and its commitment to investing in its Moline hometown.  The warm and inviting Vibrant Coffeehouse & Kitchen also served as the backdrop to Monday’s official Quad Cities Chamber ribbon-cutting and the grand opening festivities. “It’s been exciting to come in and revitalize this building and this area, especially to create a space the entire community can enjoy,” Mr. McCombs said in a news release. The new spaces also are designed to better service customers adjusting to a changing pandemic world, he added. “Especially after COVID, people have changed the way they interact with their financial institutions,” he said. “It’s not necessarily as hands-on and personal as it used to be. The Coffeehouse is an opportunity to keep building those strong connections with our members and to attract new ones.” Vibrant’s coffeehouse is conveniently located next door to the credit union’s newest branch, inside Vibrant HQ’s northwest entrance. The branch, which also opened Monday, is Vibrant’s first to feature interactive teller machines (ITMs) — two inside the building, with two more drive-thru ITMs in the southwest corner of the parking lot.  The branch also includes three dedicated vibrantLive rooms where members can connect with a banker to open a new account, apply for a loan, and more. Those bankers are not located in far flung places, but right there in the Moline office, according to Vibrant. As for the newest addition to the region’s coffee and fast-casual scene, the next-door Vibrant Coffeehouse & Kitchen is open to the public seven days a week, from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Friday, and 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.  Mr. McCombs told the QCBJ that the fast casual eatery is a subsidiary of Vibrant’s own holding company. “We believe the ideal coffeehouse should be a place where you can feel comfortable no matter what,” the shop pledges on its website. “The coffee should taste better than any cup you've ever brewed at home. The food should be delicious and fresh. The space should feel like it's been part of the neighborhood for years. We've got all of that here.​” The Vibrant Coffeehouse also boasts that it is one of the few places in the Quad Cities where customers can get coffee and espresso drinks made with beans that come straight from an on-site roasting room.  And it says the menu goes beyond typical coffee shop fare and includes a wide variety of all-day items, including breakfast foods such as biscuits and gravy, sandwiches, soups, salads, and hand-dipped ice cream  Signature energy drinks also are available, and the Coffeehouse promises, “you don’t have to be a credit union member to enjoy a meal or a quick pick-me-up, but credit union members can look forward to special perks.” ​Vibrant’s CEO boasts personal experience working in a coffee shop like the one Vibrant opened. According to eatery’s website, a few decades ago, “Monte Bennett hired a young Central College economics major named Matt McCombs to work in his new coffeehouse. Like every coffee shop employee, Matt spent a lot of time thinking about what it would be like to open his own place. After graduation, he went into banking — but he never stopped dreaming about coffee. ​So when Matt finally got serious about starting a coffeehouse of his own, he knew exactly who his first hire should be — his former mentor, Monte.” On Monday, Mr. Bennett was working the counter at Vibrant’s new venture while Mr. McCombs cut the ribbon outside of the coffeehouse and welcomed guests to the new headquarters that offers a large number of unexpected offerings and hints at new ones about to come.  For example, walls already are in place in a large undeveloped area of the building where Junior Achievement will build its new JA Inspiration Center. The new spaces will replace its current JA World location in downtown Davenport where the lease is set to expire in 2024. Vibrant has promised the space to JA of the Heartland rent-free for 10 years and it's where the nonprofit organization hopes to begin welcoming students sometime in 2024, according to Dougal Nelson, President & CEO of JA of the Heartland. With Vibrant’s “very generous” donation, the center will be able to deliver hands-on experiential learning in financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and work and career. He also told those gathered for the grand opening and ribbon cutting that the center still is in the planning stages.