That’s a Wrap – 2020 Ends with Community Spirit
Lakeshore businesses met the challenges of the end of 2020 with the same creativity, determination and community spirit that they have demonstrated throughout the turbulent year. Though December began with most of California in the purple tier, with imaginative holiday ideas and loyal customers, Lakeshore businesses did their very best to serve the community and pull through. Though foot traffic was slower than usual, the vibe was grateful, hard-working, festive and relief that the year is coming to an end best said by some of the businesses themselves:
“While I felt I was flying by the seat of my pants this entire season, I’m so grateful for my customers, these companies, and nonprofits that chose us to make this extremely atypical holiday feel special. Grateful for you all!” – Bay-Made
“A huge thank you goes out to our amazing customers and your support during this wild and unpredictable holiday season, we love you! Thank you to our vendors who worked 24/7 to get us product right up until Christmas Eve. A very special thank you to our team who worked tirelessly throughout the season, you rock. Have a peaceful and safe holiday.” – Urban Indigo
“We have the best customers! Write our hardworking team a message on your next online order! This made our day! ” – Proposition Chicken
“Hello and Happy Holidays! Wow what a year! Thank you for being patient with us as we pivoted to a webshop, because of well, covid. It was truly a learning experience. We are so glad we were able to provide y’all with a safe shopping experience online and thankful for all the new faces we were introduced to! We are thankful and fortunate to be healthy and open through everything that is well, 2020. A big thank you for all your support. We are eternally grateful, exhausted and thrilled to take the holiday off, see you Saturday!” – Adventure Toys
“The Holidays are upon us, and so are our holiday treats! Gingerbread packs, holiday shortbread cookie packs, stollen, Hanukkah cookie packs, fruit cake, oh my! Find all these and so much more down on Lakeshore (or pre-order at the link on our website).” – Arizmendi
Bardo Lounge and Supper Club topped off the holiday spirit by launching their Bardo Shop, a “dream holiday shop to find unique gifts, vintage glassware, cocktail kits, vintage clothing, jewelry and more!” in collaboration with Muse and Neutral Ground. Don’t worry, if you missed it Bardo Shop will be returning on select weekends in 2021.
Entering 2021 – Lakeshore Style
Urban Indigo 
Bardo Lounge 
While many are relieved that 2020 is behind us, we are still in the purple tier and Lakeshore businesses still need our support more than ever to survive. The good news is that many Lakeshore businesses are making it easy to support them from afar as they continue to support the community.
The pivots and adaptions Lakeshore businesses have made are awe-striking . Many restaurants changed their menus to better fit pick-up and delivery items. Most now have pre-order on their website or have signed up with a third party for pickup and delivery (Door Dash, GrubHub, Toasttab, etc). Full list of online restaurants and stores here.
Heart and Dagger Saloon started a bottleshop with different kinds of merchandise until their bar (with outside dining) can open again. Several stores that did not have online stores do now including Silver Moon Kids, Urban Indigo, Adventure Toys and Bardo Lounge and Supper Club. Bay-Made now has gift baskets that can be shipped anywhere in the country and gift cards. Maribel has shiny new gift cards too.
For fitness, Hipline is offering a huge variety of dance classes on Zoom, including their newest addition Party Pop which provides 1-hour private class experience with your very own Hipline Choreographer. Just down the street, The Barre Method is streaming a variety of classes to do in the privacy of your home too.
Lakeshore businesses are making a valiant effort to survive and overcome a year that has been tremendously unpredictable and economically hit small businesses especially hard. Bars, hair salons, and nail salons are still closed and will be as long as we are in the purple tier. It will take continued local support now and after the purple tier to keep most of our local businesses alive. The Lakeshore community is lucky to have fabulous businesses to support and as Shakewell says, they are “too small to fail.” Let’s prove them right by outpouring support to Lakeshore businesses so that they can not only survive but thrive when things hopefully get more predictable in the not-so-distant future.
Bonus: Holiday Lakeshore Love
A bonus for supporting local businesses is winning one of 30 excellent local prizes! Until January 10, you can show your support (and enter to win!) Holiday Lakeshore Love by shopping at the Lakeshore, Lake Park or Rand Ave businesses and submit your coloring page, picture of your purchase, and/or your receipts (or screenshots of e-receipts) for a chance to win one of two Grand Prize packets worth $100, or one of over 30 fabulous Lakeshore prizes! Remember, every business on Lakeshore counts as part of your entry! Congratulations to our previous Lakeshore Love Grand Prize winners Paul Yee and Bobby Brenman!
Entries for the drawing can be submitted by using this Lakeshore Love form (you need a gmail account to use the form), or email or postal mail by January 15, 2021. Learn more details and download the coloring page here.
Buckingham Wine and Spirits has New Ownership: A Note from the Patel Family
Buckingham Wine and Spirits has been a hardworking and beloved business on Lakeshore for 30 years. It is changing ownership in 2021, please see the note below from the Patel family:
Hello! It’s been our family’s honor and privilege to serve this beautiful Oakland community for the past 30 years. From the bottom of our hearts, we want to thank you for your continued patronage of Buckingham.
Max and Jessie bought Buckingham site unseen 30 years ago and fell in love with the neighborhood and community. They had little idea how big of an impact this shop and street would have on our family.
The most rewarding part of this journey has always been the relationships built with all of you – customers, neighbors and suppliers (and doggos!).
For the past three decades, we’ve celebrated together, grieved together, laughed together, and just about everything in between. We will greatly miss our daily conversations with you all. In the years since Max’s passing, it was especially heartwarming to hear and share your memories of him.
We’re thrilled to be handing over Buckingham to a family that will care for the business just as we have. This shop holds a very special place in our hearts, and we’re confident the new ownership will continue to serve our friends and family in the community well.
We hope to keep in touch. Drop any one of us a line at buckinghamwines@gmail.com or find us next door at Adventure Toys. We’d love to hear from you!
-Jessie, Mira, Ami, Raj
Giving Back
Holy Land Dishes – Chef’s for America 
Proposition Chicken
Kudos to Miri Levy at Holy Land Restaurant for feeding and supporting communities in need in Oakland with World Central Kitchen (#ChefsForAmerica). During one of the most challenging months of a challenging year, Holy Land found a way to support those in need in our community.
Thanks to support of loyal customers, Proposition Chicken has been able to continue Non-Profit Monday. La Clinica De La Raza provides “multi-lingual, accessible full-scope health care services in the East Bay, no matter a patient’s income level or insurance status”. La Clínica is also Proposition Chicken’s December 2020’s non-profit Monday partner for a very timely donation.
With that, we are off to 2021!
Cheers to a Happy New Year: Welcome 2021!
Urban Indigo (Cool Customer) 
Maribel