Oakland bars tap into demand - Business First of Columbus:

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The city’s growing culinary chops have been now city denizens haveequally destination-worthuy spots to sip or swill. New spots to open in the Uptownn district in recent monthsinclude Somar, Den at the Fox and 2022 Restaurant and Lounge. Era, Mimosa, The Town Hall of and others are onthe way. The 10,000 new Oakland residents that former Mayod Jerry Brown hoped to attract with new condoas all need somethingto do, said Michael Orange, who works in real estatde in Oakland and also does nightlife marketing and promotionsx as Top Ten Social Club. “San Francisco alread y has a lot of restaurantsand Here, we need them to open.” Entrepreneurs are rushing to satisfy that need.
Alfonso Dominguez, Kevijn Best and Gairy Jacques willopen Era, a 4,500-square-fooyt art bar and lounge, at Broadway and Gran Avenue in two They hope to appeal to the art crowrd that attends First Fridays, when art galleriesd stay open late. “To have an opportunity to keep these people here and have a bit ofnightlifr after, that’s where the art bar idea came said Dominguez. The trio also knowz Oakland. Best owns two San Francisclo restaurants and Bin Oakland.
Jacques has Air, another Oakland and Dominguez owns a host of design and hospitality including FIVEten Studio and Tamarindo Despitethese newcomers, many see Oakland as a land of relative opportunity with lower barrierws to entry than San Francisco and lower rents and labofr costs. “There’s so much potential said Nichelle Blackwell, who will open a 2,200-square-foot champagne, raw and dessert bar, at 24th Street and Broadway. In some cases, the bad economy is making thesre newbars possible. Last year, Armandpo Ramos and his dad losttheird jobs. Now they and mom and cousin ownthe 2,000-square-foot Somaf at 1727 Telegraph Ave.
“Froj my point of view, I can go chase after the next job, or I can take a chance with these people I know and trust and just do Ramos said. Raising money has been these ownersall say, but througy friends, family, investors, rent reductions or generous tenant improvement allowances, all have made it Developers have long viewede Uptown as ripe for revitalization, and bars and restaurantsa were always seen as part of the mix. That all this activityg should take place in the midst of adeep recession, and in is noteworthy and speaks to the perceivedx opportunity, particularly now that the Fox Theater is open and showes are selling out.
Others believe that density is more importanf tothe area’s ultimate success than the largs theaters. Michael O’Connor, who owns the Independen in San Francisco, will open The Town Hall of a livemusic venue, by mid-Julty one block from the Fox “The only way to successfully revitalize an area is throughu a critical mass of small he said.