Prescott Market opened in West Oakland, showcasing seven food vendors, including Almanac Beer Co. and Fast Times Burgers. Developed by Joe Ernst's firm, the food hall aimed to revitalize the neighborhood, which faces public safety concerns and homelessness. Extensive preparations included tree planting and sidewalk construction. Ernst highlighted the area's convenient location. To attract tenants, they offered incentives like six months of rent-free space. Successful community events highlighted a resilient local spirit, indicating potential for growth despite previous challenges in the area.
Joe Ernst, whose real estate development firm srmErnst Development Partners is behind the 12,000-square-foot new food hall, couldn't help but see the potential of West Oakland for a project like this. "I can't count the number of times I've gone to Emeryville or Berkeley and gone up Mandela and just thought, 'This is so convenient,'" Ernst told SFGATE.
To get the food hall ready to open, the team planted trees, relocated train tracks and even built new sidewalks on 18th Street.
It was challenging to convince people to come here," Ernst said of finding tenants. To sweeten the deal, they offered all of them six months of free rent to get started.
After hosting a series of successful night markets last summer as well as launching the West Oakland Farmers Market in 2022, the Prescott Market team discovered something: The community in West Oakland is strong.
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