Business Archives

Kids conquer obstacles at Richmond’s ‘ninja’ gym

Traverse Fitness offers classes and camps for kids, as well as training for adults.

New Piedmont Avenue ‘passport’ highlights women-owned businesses

by Roselyn Romero March 14, 2024, 2:00 p.m.March 14, 2024, 2:58 p.m.

Twenty women-owned shops and restaurants on Piedmont Avenue launched the inaugural “Women of the Avenue” program last week.

Comcast and Black Joy Parade recognize leaders making a lasting impact in the Bay Area

Shelene Huey-Booker, Donald Frazier and Jameelah Hanif are the 2024 Icons Among Us.

Road Safety

Buses will skip some downtown Oakland stops on weekend nights in new permanent ‘detour’

by Jose Fermoso March 5, 2024, 1:14 p.m.March 7, 2024, 4:29 p.m.

AC Transit is instructing bus drivers to bypass part of Broadway due to “safety concerns” but riders are left confused.

Personal trainers take fitness beyond the gym, embracing outdoor adventures and community

Nu Fitness wants clients to have a goal that will bring them joy and motivate them to work out.

Business

At Uptown Market, tech pays the rent for local retailers

by Lisa Plachy March 1, 2024, 9:00 a.m.Feb. 29, 2024, 4:37 p.m.

A partnership between Oakland’s Black Cultural Zone and Block Inc. aims to help local vendors make the leap from online to in-person sales.

Big House Beans cafe owner hires his former prison cell-mate as barista

John Krause took his passion for coffee and opened a business on a mission to hire the formerly incarcerated.

Arts & Community

Celebrating Chinatown after dark at Oakland’s second annual Lantern Festival

by Roselyn Romero Feb. 27, 2024, 5:11 p.m.March 7, 2024, 12:50 p.m.

Co-hosted by Oakland Bloom, AAPI Healers for Liberation, and Sticky Rice Club, the Lantern Festival also featured a community altar for people impacted by the war in Gaza.

A woman wearing a white shirt, beige cardigan, and blue jeans smiles and poses in front of a gray building.

Business

Q&A: How the city of Oakland plans to support small businesses in 2024

by Roselyn Romero Feb. 20, 2024, 2:00 p.m.April 8, 2024, 11:06 a.m.

Cristy Johnston Limón, deputy director of the city’s Economic and Workforce Development Department, describes how small businesses are faring post-lockdown and how the city aims to help.

Business

An Oakland pottery studio where classes fill up almost instantly

by Roselyn Romero Feb. 16, 2024, 9:00 a.m.Feb. 16, 2024, 10:43 a.m.

Merritt Ceramics, co-founded by longtime friends Anna Tung and Stephen Ruby, was born in 2017 out of a desire to build community around clay.

Oakland law firm won settlement for Vallejo police whistleblower in badge-bending case

California has strong laws to protect whistleblowers — documenting cases early is essential.

Portrait of a Black woman in a black sweater and red coat standing inside a restaurant with a bar area in the background.

Amplify Oakland

My Oakland restaurant was broken into 3 times last year. Love for the neighborhood is why I stay

by Manna Tekie Feb. 1, 2024, 12:00 p.m.Feb. 2, 2024, 8:38 a.m.

Marzano owner Manna Tekie says repeated incidents have tested the limits of—but not broken—her will to remain on Park Boulevard.

Business

The history behind Oakland’s Park Boulevard business corridor—and what’s coming next

by Roselyn Romero Jan. 29, 2024, 9:00 a.m.Feb. 3, 2024, 10:08 a.m.

A new taco spot and the return of a cat vet, a yoga studio, and a tutoring center are coming soon to Glenview’s storied commercial strip.

Nineteen teenagers dance on a blue floor in a studio with an unfinished painted backdrop.

Business

Inside an unassuming warehouse in West Oakland is a circus school open to all

by Roselyn Romero Jan. 22, 2024, 9:00 a.m.Jan. 22, 2024, 12:44 p.m.

The Kinetic Arts Center provides circus, fitness, and dance classes and workshops for all ages and experience levels.

A large office room with windows looking out onto other buildings in a dense downtown area. The office is empty except for tables and chairs.

Business

Downtown is a key part of Oakland’s economic engine. How’s it working?

by Lisa Plachy and John Klopotowski Jan. 4, 2024, 3:00 p.m.Jan. 4, 2024, 5:19 p.m.

We sifted through economic studies, tax data, and historical records to better understand how our urban center generates revenue for the city.

Nosh Features

How Oakland restaurants are dealing with break-ins

by Roselyn Romero Dec. 19, 2023, 5:03 p.m.Dec. 19, 2023, 5:05 p.m.

As commercial burglaries have increased and resources are stretched thin, many restaurant owners face mounting debt and stress.

Shopping for the holidays? ‘Think Oakland First’

Supporting local businesses — from boutiques to restaurants to arts performances — brings in a cascade of benefits to the city.

Events

12 festive Oakland markets for holiday gift shopping

by Roselyn Romero Dec. 7, 2023, 9:00 a.m.Dec. 6, 2023, 5:06 p.m.

From the annual Fruitvale Posada to a spooky “Gothmas” market, these free events feature local vendors, live entertainment, and kid-friendly activities.