Local Retail Movement Moves into High Gear in
Lake
Merritt/Uptown & Downtown Oakland
Plaid Friday’s “mall-ternative” event sees record
numbers ‘love Oakland and put their money where their hearts are’
The results are in and everyone involved has declared last Friday’s ‘Plaid
Friday’ event in Oakland a resounding success.
Hundreds of businesses citywide,
including more than 45 businesses located in the Downtown and Lake Merritt/Uptown
community benefit districts, participated in the day-long event which included
free parking in city-owned lots and garages and at meters, professional gift
wrapping, a visit from Santa, food vendors and a host of live
entertainment.
This year’s event, the fifth
‘mall-ternative’ shopping event in Oakland, included the transformation of
Latham Square into a festive winter wonderland where more than 30 “pop-up”
artisans displayed and sold artwork and gifts. Additionally, throughout the
evening, dozens of pop-up vendors were offering fantastic gift options in
downtown and uptown’s coolest bars and restaurants.
Results of surveys conducted
among many of the businesses that participated in this year’s event indicate
that retail activity was high.
Loakal Art Gallery and Boutique at 560 Second Street reported a
doubling in sales over last year’s event.
"We were so happy to see fellow Oaklanders get in the spirit of
supporting local businesses. Many of our customers even came to the store
wearing plaid! It was a great way to celebrate the diversity and creativity of
Oakland," said Loretta Nguyen, proprietor.
“We saw a tremendous amount of
foot traffic and retail activity throughout both the Uptown and Downtown districts
on Friday and we hope this energy is going to continue during the holiday
shopping season,” said Steve Snider, District Manager of the Lake
Merritt/Uptown District and Downtown Oakland Associations. “In fact, all of the partner organizations
involved in this event reported tremendous interest and energy and we are
already teaming and planning to make the event even bigger next holiday
season,” he added.
Plaid Friday is a key component of Oakland Grown, a nonprofit, buy local
program celebrating and supporting independent businesses and artists and is
supported by the City of Oakland, East Bay Express, the Lake Merritt/Uptown
District and Downtown Oakland Associations, Oaklandish, Oakland In The Black,
Betti Ono Gallery, and popuphood. Other partners include Visit Oakland, East
Bay Bicycle Coalition, Marion and Rose’s Workshop, ProArts and the Great Wall
of Oakland. This is the fifth year Plaid
Friday has taken place in Oakland and the event has now been replicated in
several cities around the country including Syracuse, NY, Pittsfield, MA, and
Winchester, VA.
“The energy on Plaid Friday is so incredible.
I am so proud to be a part of a city that really gets and supports independent
art and business,” said Kate Ellen, owner of Crown Nine in Old Oakland, who
reported an increase in sales of 34%.
Local businesses -- from bars, restaurants and
cafes to art galleries and shops selling Oakland-themed items such as
Oaklandish – form an important part of Oakland’s thriving downtown vibe. The city has also been a focal point for the
merging “pop-up” retail phenomenon where independent entrepreneurs open
temporary stores in vacant ground floor retail spaces. To support the growth of the city’s retail
sector, the community benefit districts have developed a 2013 holiday shopping
guide complete with a walking map and contact information for more than 79
retailers with outlets in Downtown and Uptown Oakland. http://www.scribd.com/doc/184228363/Uptown-Downtown-Shopping-Guide
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The Downtown Oakland and Lake
Merritt/Uptown District Associations were formed in February 2009. Property
owners in both Downtown Oakland and the Lake Merritt/Uptown Districts voted by
a margin of almost 8 to 1 to support a voluntary property tax to fund services
that would improve the quality of life in their respective communities. The
associations meet and function jointly. Services funded by these Districts
include maintaining cleanliness and order in the public rights of way,
improving district identity and advocating on behalf of the area’s property
owners, business owners and residents. In June 2013, the districts were
recognized by the International Downtown Association (IDA) and named the IDA’s June Downtown of the Month.
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