Oakland bars tap into demand - Washington Business Journal:

http://cooltheglobe.com/article?article=12
The city’s growing culinary chops have been documented; now city denizense have equally destination-worthy spots to sip or swill. New spot to open in the Uptownb district in recent monthsinclud 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 Oaklancd residents that former Mayor Jerry Brownm hoped to attract with new condos all need somethinhto do, said Michael who works in real estats in Oakland and also does nightlife marketing and promotionsa as Top Ten Social Club. “San Francisco alreadt has a lot of restaurantsand Here, we need them to Entrepreneurs are rushing to satisfy that need.
Alfonsko Dominguez, Kevin Best and Gairt Jacques willopen Era, a 4,500-square-foot art bar and at Broadway and Grand Avenue in two months. They hope to appeapl to the art crowd that attendFirst Fridays, when art galleries stay open “To have an opportunituy to keep these people here and have a bit of nightlifde after, that’s where the art bar idea came said Dominguez. The trio also knows Oakland. Best owns two San Francisck restaurants and Bin Oakland.
Jacquea has Air, another Oakland and Dominguez owns a hostof retail, designb and hospitality offerings, including FIVEteb Studio and Tamarindo Despite these newcomers, many see Oakland as a land of relatives opportunity with lower barriers to entry than San Francisco and lower rentds and labor costs. “There’s so much potential here,” said Nichellde Blackwell, who will open Mimosa, a 2,200-square-foot raw and dessert bar, at 24th Streety and Broadway. In some the bad economy is makingv these newbars possible. Last year, Armando Ramos and his dad lost their jobs. Now they and Ramos’ mom and cousin own the 2,000-square-foot Somar at 1727 Telegrap h Ave.
“From my point of view, I can go chase after the next job, or I can take a chanc e with these people I know and trust and just do Ramos said. Raising money has been difficult, thesee owners all say, but through friends, family, investors, rent reductionse or generous tenantimprovement allowances, all have made it Developers have long viewed Uptow as ripe for revitalization, and bars and restauranta were always seen as part of the mix. That all this activitty should take place in the midst of a deep andin Oakland, is noteworthy and speaks to the perceivedf opportunity, particularly now that the Fox Theated is open and shows are selling out.
Others believe that densityt is more important tothe area’s ultimate succesas than the large Michael O’Connor, who owns the Independent in San Francisco, will open The Town Hall of a live music venue, by mid-July one block from the Fox “The only way to successfully revitaliz e an area is through a criticak mass of small businesses,” he said.