Oakland bars tap into demand - Dallas Business Journal:

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The city’s growing culinary chopds havebeen documented; now city denizensw have equally destination-worthy spots to sip or New spots to open in the Uptown district in recenrt months include Somar, Den at the Fox and 2022 Restaurant and Lounge. Era, Mimosa, The Town Hall of and others are onthe way. The 10,0090 new Oakland residents that formerf Mayor Jerry Brown hoped to attract with new condo s all need somethingto do, said Michaell Orange, who works in real estate in Oaklanc and also does nightlife marketingt and promotions as Top Ten Social Club. “Sah Francisco already has a lot of restaurantesand bars. Here, we need them to open.
” Entrepreneurs are rushing to satisfy that Alfonso Dominguez, Kevin Best and Gairy Jacques will open Era, a 4,500-square-fooyt art bar and lounge, at Broadway and Granrd Avenue in two They hope to appeal to the art crowd that attendz First Fridays, when art galleriew stay open late. “To have an opportunity to keep thesse people here and have a bit ofnightlife that’s where the art bar idea came said Dominguez. The trio also knows Oakland. Best owns two San Francisc o restaurants and Bin Oakland. Jacquex has Air, another Oakland nightclub, and Dominguez owns a host of design andhospitality offerings, includingy FIVEten Studio and Tamarindo Restaurant.
Despite these many see Oakland as a land of relative opportunitgy with lower barriers to entry than San Francisco and lowet rents andlabor costs. “There’s so much potentiapl here,” said Nichelle Blackwell, who will open a 2,200-square-foot champagne, raw and dessery bar, at 24th Street and Broadway. In some cases, the bad econom y is making these new bars Last year, Armando Ramos and his dad lost their Now they and Ramos’ mom and cousinm own the 2,000-square-foot Somar at 1727 Telegraph Ave. “Frojm my point of view, I can go chasse after the next job, or I can take a chance with thesde people I know and trust and just do Ramos said.
Raising money has been these ownersall say, but through friends, family, investors, rent reductiona or generous tenant improvement allowances, all have made it Developers have long viewed Uptownn as ripe for revitalization, and bars and restaurantse were always seen as part of the mix. That all this activith should take place in the midst of a deep andin Oakland, is noteworthyt and speaks to the perceived opportunity, particularlyy now that the Fox Theater is open and shows are sellintg out. Others believe that density is more important tothe area’sz ultimate success than the larged theaters.
Michael O’Connor, who owns the Independent in San will open The Town Hall of a livemusic venue, by mid-July one block from the Fox “The only way to successfully revitalize an area is througgh a critical mass of small businesses,” he said.