Downtown Oakland Association

Tune this 6pm evening for AMP Oakland x Oakland Cocktail Week Livestream benefit concert series featuring Lady Biana with Host DJ Champagne Hughes. We're fundraising for the Keep It Spirited COVID Relief fund in partnership with Oakland Cocktail Week and the Oakland Indie Alliance. This fund supports bars that have not been able to reopen safely during COVID. Help us keep these bars in Oakland. Keep it Spirited, Keep it Oakland! DONATE TO THE KEEP IT SPIRITED COVID RELIEF FUND: https://www.oaklandcocktailweek.com/donate

Tune in this morning around 11:45am on ABC to find out about a plan in place help to increase vibrancy in downtown Oakland with 'Flex Streets' initiative. The initiative is a way to better utilize the streets and sidewalks while continuing to maintain social distancing and safe space for people to gather in downtown Oakland. https://abc7news.com/watch/?ex_cid=vuemix_HP_live

Guess who has a new look and feel? The www.oaklandcentral.com website, that’s who! Stop by to check out the fresh vibe and content and, while you’re there, take a look at the revamped business directory and events page. Show your OAKLAND LOVE and shop local! Our passion at Oakland Central is to promote and support our independent businesses, especially during these difficult times, but we know they will need even more Town love as we emerge from the disruption created by the ...pandemic. OC will continue to evolve its approach to meet the needs of our beloved businesses, so keep coming back to see the latest news and happenings in downtown Oakland by signing up on the email list! Be sure to follow Oakland Central at @oakcental both on Facebook and Instagram. #oakcental, #oaklandcentral, #downtownoakland, #oakland, #oaklandsmallbusiness, #supportoaklandlocal

Day 2 of the Oakland Small Business Week, #SBWOak, is happening right now. Register and join LIVE now! https://oaklandfwd.splashthat.com/

myCovidMD is providing FREE COVID-19 Testing in Oakland TODAY in downtown Oakland on 13th Street at 1300 Broadway from 1pm-5pm. There will be a DJ on-site and other community-centered surprises! For more information about COVIDmd visit: https://covidmd.org/

It was incredible to see the hundreds of volunteers who came out today to help clean-up #Oakland look good. Thank you Charles Taylor and Charlese Banks of The Town Experience!!!

Elisse Douglass, one of our board members, organized a GoFundMe to help support the Black-owned businesses affected during the demonstrations and what an incredible response that was received in raising over $45K! Due to the amount of support that was received, businesses will be able to start applying for funds this evening!!! The funds will start with up to $500 grants per business and will allocate more funds as more money is raised. See link in the comments to apply. . The GoFundMe project is still accepting donations: click here for more information: https://www.gofundme.com/f/oakland-black-business-damage-fu

We want to thank all of the volunteers who have come out to help clean our downtown Oakland! Thank you! Thank you!! Thank you Jana Pastena for keeping the volunteers hydrated and a great big thank you to Charlese Banks of @The Town Experience and Charles Taylor for keeping everything going smoothly. If you would like to volunteer, please visit https://downtownoakland.org/ and fill out the volunteer form and further information will be forward to you about when and where to show up to volunteer.

The Kenneth Rainin Foundation has partnered with the City of Oakland to launch a relief fund with $625,000 for artists and culture workers living in Alameda and Contra Costa counties. Approximately $300,000 of the funds will be made available for Oakland residents. https://krfoundation.org/east-bay-oakland-relief-fund-for-/.

Be sure to enter win a $50 gift card to Bar Shiru. They are offering cocktail kits, a Whiskey of the Week special, Japanese whiskeys, spirits, beer, wine and sake available for Saturday delivery. Orders must be received by Friday at 2pm with deliveries happening on Saturday between 2pm-6pm, Delivery service limited to Alameda, Berkeley, Emeryville, Oakland, and San Francisco. Must 21 or over to purchase alcohol. #supportsmallbusiness, #supportoaklandlocal, #oaklandbars, #oakland, #downtownoakland.

These times are causing everyone to rethink marketing and messaging for business. Start Small Think Big is offering FREE webinars to help small businesses with tips in navigating the waters at this time. Click the link for more information. https://www.startsmallthinkbig.org/workshops-classes

Have you been tested? Alameda is offering FREE COVID-19 testing for anyone who lives or works in Alameda County.

We would like to share a success story of a small business in downtown was approved for their small business loan - congrats Lilly Renee Ayers of Queen HippieGypsy!! Also, thank you Rani of Uptima Business Bootcamp for being a support and providing guidance. If anyone else has a success story, please share it to encourage others!

Join CBRE Restaurant practice leaders and leading restaurant operators for a discussion about the opportunities and challenges facing restaurateurs as they prepare to reopen and rethink operations to accommodate COVID-19 considerations. DISCUSSION TOPICS: Restaurant Economics: Applying PPP Funds to Rent and More Reopening Hurdles: Supply Chain, Sanitation, Labor, New Expenses ... The New Normal: Reconfiguration and Shifts in Service Models Learning from Experience: What We Are Seeing in China and Europe Register here: https://cbre.zoom.us/web/register/WN_O5BbSodBTomxW9M_tzkCxQ