WEBVTT

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>> HERE'S WHAT'S MAKING NEWS
AROUND INDIANA.
>>ED RULING SALGZ
DOWNTOWN FORT WAYNE JUST

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CONTINUES TO ROLL.
THE CITY'S LATEST COUP? A $30
MILLION BOUTIQUE HOTEL DESIGNED
BY VERA BRADLEY CO-FOUNDER

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BARBRA BRADLEY BAEKGAARD.
AROUND INDIANA REPORTER
MARY-RACHEL REDMAN CAUGHT UP
WITH THE ICONIC BAG DESIGNER TO

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GET A TOUR OF HER LATEST
VENTURE.
>> NEARLY 40 YEARS AGO, SHE
STARTED A COMPANY THAT CONTINUES

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TO BRING BRIGHT PATTERNED
LUGGAGE AND HANDBAGS TO THE
MASSES.
>> VERA BRADLEY.

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>> THE GENIUS BEHIND THE ICONIC
VERA BRADLEY LINE HAS OFFICIALLY
OPENED DOWNTOWN FORT WAYNE'S
FIRST BOUTIQUE HOTEL.

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>> I'VE LIVED IN FORT WAYNE OVER
40 YEARS, WE WERE JUST MISSING
THAT ELEMENT OF A CITY. AND I
DIDN'T THINK THERE WAS ANYTHING

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THAT REALLY REPRESENTED WHO WE
WERE.
>> SO AFTER RETIRING AS CHIEF
CREATIVE OFFICER FOR THE FORT

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WAYNE BASED LIFESTYLE BRAND IN
2017...
>> I THINK THESE THINGS.
>> MIND YOU, IN HER LATE 70s,

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BARBRA BRADLEY BAEKGAARD DECIDED
IT WAS HIGH TIME TO EMBARK ON
HER 30-YEAR DREAM, TO BUILD A
HOTEL THAT REFLECTED HER OWN

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HOME IN THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN.
>> I WAS IN THE COMPANY EVERY
SINGLE DAY FOR 30 YEARS. AND
THEN AS WE GOT BIGGER, AND WE

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HIRED OTHER PEOPLE TO DO SOME OF
THE THINGS THAT I DID, I COULD
GET AWAY A LITTLE MORE. SO THEN
I STARTED HAVING THESE OTHER

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AMBITIONS, YOU KNOW, LIKE WHY
NOT DO IT NOW.
>> AND THAT SHE DID. THE BRADLEY
IS A $30 MILLION FULL SERVICE

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BOUTIQUE HOTEL THAT FEATURES 124
GUEST ROOMS, NINE SUITES, AND A
HOST OF PUBLIC SPACES, INCLUDING
TWO RESTAURANTS, AND A ROOFTOP

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BAR.
>> RESTAURANT CALLED BIRDIE'S.
THERE IS A SPECIAL REASON.
>> WELL, MY GRANDCHILDREN CALL

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MY BIRDIE, MY OLDEST GRANDSON
NICKNAMED ME BIRDIE. WHEN HE
WOULD COME TO MY HOUSE, I WOULD
HAVE FABRICS, AND MY DINNERWARE

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ON IT. WHEN HE WENT TO GRANDMAS,
HE SAID GRANDMA BIRDIE, I HAVE
12 GRANDCHILDREN, THEY ALL CALL
ME BIRDIE. WHEN YOU COME OFF THE

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ELEVATOR HERE, YOU SEE SOME BIRD
PRINTS, WHICH IS REALLY FUN.
IT'S CUTE, IT'S FUN. THIS IS
YOUR TYPICAL GUEST ROOM.

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>> WOW! AND I CAN ALREADY SEE
THE HEAD BOARD. THAT IS VERY
VINTAGE VERA BRADLEY.
>> THIS WOULD BE LIKE YOU'RE

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COMING IN MY HOME AND STAYING IN
MY HOME.
>> DID YOU PERSONALLY PICK OUT
WHAT IS IN EACH ROOM?

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>> I DID.
>> YOU'VE GOT GREAT TASTE.
>> IT LOOKS VERA BRADLEY WITHOUT
SCREAMING VERA BRADLEY. IT IS

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MORE OF A WINK THAN A SHOUT.
>> IN TERMS OF COLOR SCHEMES, IS
IT A LOT OF BLUES.
>> I WOULD SAY BLUE ALWAYS WORKS

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AS IF GOD KNEW WHAT HE WAS
DOING. BLUE WORKS FOR DECOR,
THERE ARE NOT MANY PEOPLE WHO
WALK INTO A BLUE ROOM AND DON'T

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THINK IT FEELS COZY. I'M REALLY
PROUD OF THE BATHROOMS, THE
SHOWERS ARE AMAZING. THE
HARDWARE ON THE

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SHOWERS -- WOULDN'T YOU BE
PLEASED TO CHECK IN HERE?
>> YEAH, CAN I --
>> YOU CAN MAKE A RESERVATION.

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>> BARBRA IS STAYING IN TOWN,
HER COMMITMENT TO OUR CITY
SPEAKS VOLUMES ABOUT HER. I'VE
ALREADY TALKED TO A NUMBER OF

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CEOS WHO BRING IN IMPORTANT
PEOPLE TO STAY IN OUR COMMUNITY
FOR A FEW DAYS, THEY'RE VERY
EXCITED ABOUT THIS NEW OFFERING.

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>> I WANTED SOMETHING THAT WHEN
PEOPLE WERE IN HERE, THEY FELT
THEY KNEW WHERE THEY WERE IN
FORT WAYNE. THEN WHEN THEY

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LEAVE, THEY HAVE A MEMORY OF