This week, several Oakland businesses plan to shut their doors temporarily in hopes of gaining more support. They say they are holding a strike on Tuesday calling for more law enforcement officers in Oakland and more financial aid for businesses.
Nigel Jones, who owns the restaurants Kingston11 and Calabash in Oakaland, said that he will be participating in the strike and that both businesses will be closed on Tuesday. Jones noted that Kingston11 was broken into three weeks prior and that theives took cash, shattered windows, and left him with more than $2,000 in damages.
“When those things happen, it’s a scar on the community because people see it, they walk by they see the broken windows as they do see broken glass from car windows all around the city,” Jones said.
Specifically, Jones said he would like to see more law enforcement presence in Oakland and more funding directed to supporting local businesses.
Carl Chan, who is also the president of the Oakland Chinatown Chamber Foundation, said he is organizing the strike along with a variety of businesses from all around the city. Chan explained that some businesses will close for the entire day on Tuesday and others will just close for a few hours.
“We are seeking to ask for some grants and funding from county state federal but also from our city, directly benefiting our small businesses,” Chan said. He also noted that this group is calling for more law enforcement on the ground in Oakland.
The strike will feature a press conference in front of restaurant LeCheval which just announced it will be closing on September 30.
“We cannot wait any longer, otherwise many of our small businesses will be closing down one after the other,” Chan said.
Earlier this month NBC Bay Area reported the City of Oakland lost out on grants to address crime because it missed a deadline. Chan said that missed deadline compounded frustrations among businesses and prompted this strike.
“Small business owners, we have been there for a long time, we’re the life blood,” said Nenna Joiner who owns Feelmore Adult and Feelmore Social in Oakland.
Joiner is out of town this week but says she supports the strike. She noted her business was broken into a couple of months ago.
“Those instances of aggression — economic aggression– actually impacts your team directly and indirectly but it also impacts other businesses,” she noted.
Both Joiner and Jones say they hope this strike reminds customers that where they choose to spend their time and money makes a difference.
“We’re trying to build awareness,and we’re trying to build solidarity with our residents that they have a role to play as well,” Jones said.
Source: NBC Bay Area
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