Oakland entrepreneurs resolve to invest in The Town despite challenges
OAKLAND -- At Coco Noir Wine Shop & Bar in downtown Oakland, owner Alicia Kidd says all the wines at her tasting room are made by women and people of color.
"Women only make up five percent of the (wine) industry and people of color make up probably three percent and Black producers make up one percent. And the wine industry is a multi-billion dollar industry. So what I want to do is reverse-engineer the industry and provide retail space specifically for the under-represented wine makers and give them a platform to my audience," said Kidd, a Black woman born and raised in Oakland. "Oakland was the only place I wanted to (set up shop) because I wanted to bring Wne Country -- Napa and Sonoma -- to Oakland."
Kidd opened Coco Noir at the corner of 13th and Webster Streets in December 2022. She said business initially got off to a very strong start.
"With the crime, my business has decreased in sales but it's slowly trending upward now that spring and summer is coming," she said.
As Oakland kicks off Small Business Week on Sunday, many merchants say their biggest business challenge continues to be crime. Some have experienced repeated burglaries and robberies.
"It has impacted my business in the sense that customers are afriad to come to Oakland. So I've had to invest thousands and thousands of dollars in marketing to get customers to come," Kidd said.
Elected leaders say they are working to reduce crime. During Small Business Week, the city will host free classes and networking events.
A workshop on Sunday focused on digital marketing. Small business owners attended in-person and online.
"I'm somebody who is getting started so I'm very new. I'm trying to figure out what social media platfroms to leverage, how to get your content out there," said workshop attendee Folasade Phillips, owner of Fola Chops.
"I'm working on growing my business, working on my website. I want to improve my social media presence," said Graig Brooks, who owns Jaguar Productions.
Many who attended the workshop said they chose to invest in the city and, despite all the challenges, they still believe in Oakland.
"What adds color and vibrancy to the city is actually the small businesses and the people behind these businesses," said digital marketing expert and workshop instructor Cathya Lopez.
Kidd agreed and said thriving businesses is a reflection of a thriving city.
"Increase safety, invest in security. I think that's number one. I think safety is the ultimate concern because customers are not going to come if their cars are being broken into," Kidd said.
