“Bucking the recession, in 2009 Oakland joined the ranks of the nation’s
culinary destinations with more than 30 major restaurant openings citywide
and impressive reviews in the regional, national and industry press. An exciting array of new establishments such as Ozumo, Mua, Pican, Lake Chalet, Marzano, Camino, Chop House, Bocanova, Adesso and others enlivened several of Oakland’s neighborhoods, generated considerable sales tax revenue and brought jobs for local residents. Also this year, Oakland earned its first-ever coveted Michelin star for Commis on Piedmont Avenue just three months after the restaurant opened!”*

* 2009 State of the City Report - Mayor Dellums  Click here to read the whole report.

Click here to view the November 18, 2009 2 page advertorial on Oakland Grown, including Oakland’s dining scene, why you should step out of the box this holiday season, Plaid Friday, Jack London Holiday Buy Night, Citywide Holiday Open House, and over 20 other Holiday Happenings this year, all in Oakland.

Mayor Ronald V. Dellums” 3rd Annual Oakland Partnership

Economic Summit.

Oakland on the road to economic recovery: key projects and investments to get our region moving again.

Join us as we explore:

• Best practices for accessing capital and surviving the downturn
• The impact of current international and national trends on our local economy.
• The inside track on the federal stimulus package and related state, regional and local initiatives
• Oakland Partnership economic development strategy - year in review.

Friday, May 1, 2009
Oakland Marriott City Center
1001 Broadway, Oakland
7:30 am - 12:30 pm
Click here to download flyer.

NEWS from CPSC
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Office of Information and Public Affairs        Washington, DC 20207

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 30, 2009
Release #09-115        CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

CPSC Grants One Year Stay of Testing and Certification Requirements for
Certain Products
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission voted
unanimously (2-0) to issue a one year stay of enforcement for certain
testing and certification requirements for manufacturers and importers
of regulated products, including products intended for children 12 years
old and younger. These requirements are part of the Consumer Product
Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), which added certification and testing
requirements for all products subject to CPSC standards or bans.
Significant to makers of children’s products, the vote by the Commission Continue Reading »

Oakland Merchants Leadership Forum would like to thank all the participants and thanks to a generous donation from Fenton’s Ice Creamery, all participants will receive a free scoop card.
Tina Schmitz - Grand Prize Winner “Passport Getaway in Oakland” - $2,500.00 value

Susan Welch - First Prize Winner, “Shop Oakland Shopping Spree” - $1,000.00 value

Yael Falicov - Second Prize Winner, “A Night on the Town” - $750.00 value

Comments made by some of the participants:

“What a great experience!”

“It was fun! Thanks.”

“Thanks! This was a fun adventure!”

” I did the whole thing. Loved the idea. Loved meeting independent businesses in Oakland. I really appreciate that you guys did this.”

“A big THANK YOU for opening my eyes to the other wonderful neighborhoods in my city of Oakland.  Without your “Passport” I never would have experienced these great areas and I have lived here 6 years so far now. You have opened up my world.” Lisa Klein

Bella Ceramica

Center for Holistic Health

Chabot Space and Science Center

Del Angel Gifts

Entrez! Open House

Farmer Joes Grocery

Fentons Creamery

Joanna Janeth Clothing

Karen’s Flowers

Oakland Zoo

Prime Spot Bar & Grill

Shuz of Rockridge

Silver Lining Jewelry

Simply Gorgeous Day Spa

The Berma Clinic

Thelma Harris Art Gallery

Cesar Restaurant

Doyle Chiropractic

Children’s Fairland

Audio Video Consultants

California Canoe & Kayak

City Share Car

Dunsmuir House

Gente Bella Salon Spa

Gondola Servizio

El Haurache Azteca Restaruant

It’s a Grind Coffee House

La Taza Café

Rockridge Market Hall

Marriott Hotels & Resorts

Oakland Ice Center

Pacific Coast Brewing

Renaissance Rialto Inc. (Grandlake Theatre)

Robert Townsend Chiropractic

The Taoist Center

Oakland Community Acupuncture

City of Oakland

Scott Hauge, President of Small Business California sent the following announcement:

One of the members of Small Business California told me how important the economic stimulus package was to his business. I asked him why only 12% of small businesses in a recent survey said it was not important. His comment to me was that small businesses didn’t know about it. He suggested I send out on my email tree information about it and that all of you that have email trees send it out to their list. Mark Herbert in Speaker Pelosi’s office said the Speaker is very interested in making sure small businesses were aware of the stimulus package and has put together the information below.
Small Business California is putting together its legislative agenda. We will be sponsoring or cosponsoring three bills this year and taking positions on 15 to 20 bills. You can see the bills we are following by going to our website at www.smallbusinesscalifornia.org
Are there any bills that you are aware of that are important to you? I know many of you have indicated Ma’s sick leave bill is a real problem and while we have not taken a position at this point I would expect we will oppose and testify against it.
Scott Hauge
President
Small Business California
2311 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA 94116
shauge@cal-insure.com
415-680-2188

Dear Friends:

As you know Congress, under the leadership of Speaker Pelosi, passed an economic stimulus package earlier this year that will inject billions of dollars back into our faltering economy. Below is some information that I hope will be helpful to you and your small business. Continue Reading »

Stu Sweetow on NBC11 TV

http://avconsultants.com/news/?p=115

“Local First,” an article by Michael H. Shuman in the San Francisco Chronicle on Wednesday, May 16, 2007, talks about a “New approach to Bay Area Economic Development.” Click here to read the entire article.

In a study by Civic Economics, a research firm, an important message for the S.F. Mayor’s office on Economic and Workforce Development was, “It’s high time for the city to refocus its economic development efforts on locally owned business.”*
Mr. Shuman states that, “Every dollar of city money and every hour of city time wasted on unreliable nonlocal businesses are precious resources unavailable to nurturing local businesses. Real economic development should begin with the home team.”*

*San Francisco Chronicle, Wednesday, May 16, 2007, Opinion, Open Forum, “Local First” page B9. By Michael H. Shuman.

In comparing 4th quarter 2005 to 4th quarter 2006, the ShopOakland.com website saw a 107% increase in unique visitors and a 151% increase in returning visitors.  Not only are more people checking out the site, but people are coming back for more!  If your business is not on the site, make sure you get signed up!  Enter your business online here, or call Harry Hamilton at 510.238.2107 to get a paper form to complete and fax.