We started our Shop Local Oakland adventures in February 2019 knowing that Oakland had a burgeoning independent retailing scene. But we must confess: We had no idea just how dynamic, diverse, and vibrant our local shopping is. And the merchants are all Oakland...
Every neighborhood needs a Rare Bird Gift Shop and Artists Studio. But, then again, it wouldn’t be a Rare Bird anymore. Perhaps that’s one of the reasons shopping local is so special. Indeed, each shop is unique and grounded in the owner’s individual...
PART 1: A Story From The Owner Tracey Friley of Oo La La Gifts & Accessories has such great stories. Better than anything we could tell. She is a natural storyteller. And, she has a lot of gems to relate to us because she’s seen a lot go down on Channel 17...
One day, I had just finished up some LOCALMOTIV errands and was about to head back to the office—er, home. I was standing at 13th and Webster–which is probably an example of the rough and neglected side of downtown. Coincidentally, it was also my state of mind....
Urban Indigo, in Oakland, is a very handy store if you need to buy a gift for someone. So you best be putting it on your list of shops to visit. Particularly if you have a really tricky gift giving challenge. So, for example, let’s say you have an uncle that’s...
