Oakland small business owner looks forward to downtown revitalization effort

By CBS Bay Area

With a newly launched coalition aimed to support revitalizing downtown Oakland, one small business owner is optimistic about the future of her hometown. 

“I live in Oakland, so I wanted to service my own community,” Claudia Atkinson, the owner of Wild One Boutique, told CBS News Bay Area. “And that’s why I chose Oakland.”

Atkinson started her business out of her garage in West Oakland and opened her first brick-and-mortar shop in downtown Oakland about three months ago. 

“Visitors that come are excited to see the representation that we have of Oakland. And they’re excited to see Oakland-themed merch,” she said. 

Despite concerns, like safety and less foot traffic in downtown, Atkinson took a leap of faith. 

“The vision is to make downtown Oakland the city’s living room,” Puja Abid, the CEO of Oakland Downtown Development Corporation, told CBS News Bay Area. 

She said the new nonprofit has a retail activation plan by collaborating with the city and property owners. 

“There will be a grant program that attracts merchants to come downtown. We also partner with property owners to see if we can support the property owners to make it more interesting to allow the retail spaces to be rented at a below-market rate, or some other way to make the tenant improvements happen,” she said. 

According to the city’s latest economic assessment report, retail vacancy in downtown is on the rise at 7.6%. But Atkinson wants to be a part of the city’s story, making her mark in downtown. 

“There’s so much talent here in Oakland, and I feel like that needs to shine through. And we need representation that shows what it really is,” Atkinson said.