Vandalized businesses back on their feet after violence PDF Print E-mail
Oakland Tribune
January 28, 2009
By Cecily Burt
Aside from a sturdy plank of heavy-duty plywood covering the door of a vintage clothing shop, there are no visible reminders of the destruction waged earlier this month on the small businesses that line both sides of leafy 17th Street, an intimate commercial enclave in downtown Oakland.

Customers have returned to the restaurants, and patrons of shops up and down the street lingered outside in the sunshine Tuesday afternoon.
Oakland's civic and business community quickly rallied around the group of independent merchants after a splinter group protesting the New Year's Day shooting of an unarmed man by a BART police officer smashed windows and storefronts the evening of Jan. 7. A second protest ocurred Jan. 14


The emotional blow to the merchants — several were already struggling because of the weak economy — was tempered by financial assistance to repair their shops.
The East Bay Community Foundation established a fund with $50,000 in seed money from Wachovia Bank, That was quickly followed by a $40,000 pledge from the city of Oakland, $10,000 from PG&E and $5,000 each from OneCalifornia Bank and OneCalifornia Foundation.

The fund is initially being used to help downtown merchants with the unexpected expense of having to replace their storefront windows. Long term, the fund will be used to attract, retain and help small businesses grow.


Of the 48 businesses that were damaged on 17th Street and in City Center a week later, 22 have filed applications with the city for reimbursements, said Aliza Gallo, Oakland's business development services manager who is heading up the effort.


The fund will reimburse merchants for the cost of repairs up to $2,000 not covered by insurance. The city has received about $18,000 in requests so far and is expecting about 10 more applications, Gallo said.


Several merchants didn't carry insurance for damage to their windows, or they had to cover deductibles before their policies kicked in.
For example, at Take it Easy Thai, the owner did not have insurance for the seven windows that were broken and replaced at a cost of $1,900. He has filled out paperwork and is awaiting reimbursement from the fund.


"With the contributions from Wachovia and PG&E and OneCalifornia, we believe we'll be able to help each of those businesses," Gallo said.
Gereltsetseg Batsaikhan, 25, and her brother had planned to open their new Pure Natural Cafe a day or two after the rioters smashed two of their plate glass windows. The destruction set them back a couple of weeks, and $700, but they made the repairs and opened for business last Thursday.


Batsaikhan said they have submitted receipts and paperwork to the city to be reimbursed.
Did the experience make them think twice about opening the shop?
"Not very much," she said. "People told us that if someone breaks your window, it's good luck. The little pieces of glass (represent) the money you will make."
She said the other businesses on the block have been very supportive and sent customers their way.
Other downtown merchants groups also hosted a Saturday street fair on the block after the Jan. 7 mayhem to raise awareness and bring customers to the area to shop.
Ellen Taylor, owner of Fashion & Art Revival and founder and co-chairwoman of the South of Broadway, Oakland Merchants Association, said she submitted receipts for $200 since her damage was not as great as some other shops. She said she thought for a moment about eating the costs herself, then decided otherwise.


"There are many days when I don't make that much in sales," Taylor said.
She said the city's response really revived the merchants' spirits, and the street party felt like a "celebration."
"I have had nothing but positive feedback," she said, adding that city staff visited the merchants to hand out applications for financial aid. "I'm happy with their response."
Taylor said some of her fellow merchants were "demoralized" after the second protest on Jan. 14 turned violent, even though their businesses were spared a second thrashing.

It was also disappointing that the protesters attended the City Council meeting and demanded that charges filed against the vandals be dropped, she said.

"Most everybody has their new windows in, but these groups are still out there," she said.
Nicole Taylor, president and chief executive officer of the East Bay Community Foundation, said the city's small downtown businesses help sustain the economy when times are tough, as they are now. While large employers are laying off hundreds or thousands of workers, the small and medium-sized businesses are hanging in there, and in some cases, thriving.


But they can use all the help they can get, and that's where the fund comes into play, Nicole Taylor said.
"We're trying to identify how the fund will be used long-term, trying to identify the best ways to support small businesses, whether through equipment or helping the business owners with education about cash flow, sales and how to retain employees," she said. "We're looking to grow the fund and add corporate partners."


For more information, contact John Pachtner, managing director of communications for the East Bay Community Foundation at 510 208-0858, or visit www.eastbaycf.org.