"Like many other neighborhoods in Oakland, Laurel suffered some small business casualties during the pandemic, but in recent years, the strip has welcomed a slew of new places that have helped reinvigorate the strip. Laurel is easily walkable, whether you live in the neighborhood, take public transit, or drive in and leave your car parked while you roam around the different shops."
"Start out at Casa Hechizos and Raiz, a pair of multi-generational family businesses run by siblings Naomi Rodriguez and Adrian Henry that just opened in October. If the location looks familiar, it may be because it once housed Movement Ink, a print and retail shop owned and operated by Rene Quiñonez that served as a community hub. Movement Ink shuttered in 2020, one of many pandemic closures. But Quiñonez's eldest son, Ernesto, who is married to Naomi, is one of the new shop's owners."
MacArthur Boulevard between 35th Avenue and High Street hosts the Laurel StreetFair World Music Festival every August. The stretch connects Laurel with surrounding neighborhoods and contains notable restaurants like Jo's Modern Thai, recognized by the Michelin guide, and Sequoia Diner, named among top Oakland restaurants. The corridor includes gyms, bars, coffee shops, a Baptist church, an Asian supermarket, and varied retail. Many small businesses closed during the pandemic, but new openings have reinvigorated the strip. Casa Hechizos and Raiz opened in October as multi-generational family businesses offering natural products and continuing a storefront legacy begun by Movement Ink.
Read at The Oaklandside
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]