CULTIVATING COMMUNITY

LOCAL COMMUNITY

The Vibe Apartments help residents live sober and successful

Tucked behind Wake the Dead Coffeehouse is an apartment complex unique in its approach to resident care. The Vibe is a recovery co-op which acts as the next steps in a persons journey to staying sober. This co-op is made up of 20 apartments intertwined by community gardens, outdoor living spaces, a chicken coop, a dog park and bright murals. Residents rent by the room and are surrounded by support.

The residents become a family, led by a motherand- daughter team, with founder Stephanie Ramirez-Pelletier recruiting her daughter Destany Pinson to be the property manager. Along with Stephanie’s son and other valued team members, the Vibe has grown from a regular residence into a bright and bold communal haven for those ready to live their best life in recovery.

Stephanie and her family are on their own recovery journey, building a better life not only for themselves but the residents who call The Vibe home. After leaving her marketing job, she started a mural and restoration company with her son Erich. They got a job renovating apartments in San Marcos and through gig turned into a new life mission. All around and inside the complex are murals decorating the walls and adding personality and inspiration to the colorful complex.

Stephanie wanted to create a place that could allow residents to make roots and recover together. She said it can be easy to get trapped in the cycle of sober living to detox to treatment center and back again. She wanted to build a place for people looking to settle into their sober life with support from those going through a similar journey.

“Everyone brings their own little identity and that they didn’t even realize was something that was really amazing, so we all kind of bring it together,” Pinson said of the residents.

Their community gardens have been growing with the addition of residents such as Kate Dietz, heal.

“I think it’s a really good fit, I’m not just in a regular apartment by myself. I know there’s people around all the time and I know we’re all on the same page. I don’t have to be worried about one of my neighbors drinking or anything like that. Starting with that as your baseline, you can just really focus on growth,” Dietz said.

What was once an empty patch of grass between apartments has been transformed into a multi-bed garden by Dietz and other residents. She approached Stephanie with the idea who then helped Dietz obtain the supplies to build the garden space.

”Gardening has been a really important part of my recovery,” Dietz said.

The Vibe partners with local organizations to expand its access to opportunities for its residents. The Lonely Hearts Art Club is an organization run by Melissa Doss, who has recently taken residency in the Vibe’s communal office space. She offers therapeutic art classes for residents and has an arsenal of art supplies available anytime a spark of creativity occurs.

“We work together. We all bring something to the table. We value each other. It’s just a whole different experience than anything I’ve ever been a part,” Doss said.

Launching today is The Vibe’s newest community partnership with Free Range Farmers Market. This group runs weekly Friday farmers markets at Wake the Dead Coffee House and is expanding to offer a Sunday market every complex. Open to the public, people can explore a variety of vendors and buy produce straight from their garden. This partnership will allow residents the opportunity to engage in commerce and even sell their own products. The market will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every first and third Sunday.

For more information on The Vibe’s mission and opportunities to be involved and volunteer, visit their website at liveinthevibe.com