Townrootz

#030 - Today we speak with David Peters from the award winning Black Liberation Walking Tour.  Dave leads guests on a 2 hour 10 stop walking tour through the Hoover-Foster West Oakland neighborhood along the San Pablo corridor.  Audio has been recorded by longtime residents so you get a first hand history.   The tour has been recognized by Conde Nast as one of the “6 Standout Black History Tours i...

#029 - Today we speak with Carolyn Johnson from the Black Cultural Zone.  The Black Cultural Zone represents a geographic area that runs from High Street in East Oakland to the San Leandro border and from the hills to the water.  It is a collaboration of Black led and Black owned businesses and organizations. Since 2014, the East Oakland Black Cultural Zone Collaborative Partners has worked with a...

#028 - Today’s episode is the second in a 2 part series on home solar. I went solar with a back-up battery in 2021 and am SO GLAD I did.  I got a small check back from PG&E after my 1st year.  I want to introduce you to 2 of the solar professionals I met on my journey - Mark Lauer and Joe Molale. If you’re starting from ground zero like I was, it probably feels a little overwhelming.  I get as...

#027 - Today’s episode is the first in a 2 part series on home solar. I went solar with a back-up battery in 2021 and am SO GLAD I did.  I got a small check back from PG&E after my 1st year.  I want to introduce you to 2 of the solar professionals I met on my journey - Mark Lauer and Joe Molale. If you’re starting from ground zero like I was, it probably feels a little overwhelming.  I get ask...

#026 - Today we talk with Nik Dehejia, CEO of the Oakland Zoo, which is celebrating its Centennial Anniversary in 2022.  The zoo started in June of 1922 at the corner of 19th and Harrison at what is today called Snow Park. “Imagine in 1922, two lions being brought back into the City of Oakland and out there.  Henry Snow was the founder of the Oakland Zoo and established a museum and a zoo in 1922....

#025 - Today we talk with Ariana Mabley, East Oakland native and owner of Esscents of Flowers, a floral design company, which she started as a side hustle pop up business while still working a full time career.  Ariana wears MANY hats -  wife, mother, chauffeur AND entrepreneur.  She credits the tremendous support from friends, family as well as the team at the Uptima Business Bootcamp for helping...

#024 - Today we talk with Berkeley native and Oakland wine entrepreneur and Black Vines founder Fern Stroud.  Fern founded Black Vines to celebrate black history while focusing on black future. Black Vines focuses on the future of wine, the future of art, the future of jazz, the future of culinary experiences while featuring black owned companies. “we want to create community and do our part in th...

#023 - Today we talk with San Francisco native and longtime Oakland resident and wine entrepreneur Paula Harrell of P Harrell Wines.  Paula’s love for wine and wine culture began while studying abroad in Spain while in college.  Paula had no formal education in wine making.  For 15 years it was a fun little hobby - she would blend other peoples’ wines.  After sharing her concoctions with her wine...

#022 - Today we talk with Oakland Laurel District resident and restaurateur James Whitehead of Fist of Flour.  James has loved pizza his entire life - it is his favorite food.  He loves pizza so much he even scopes out the pizza scene whenever he travels to new cities. When James arrived in Oakland 26 years ago, he realized East Oakland was yearning for better pizza options.  He started messing ar...

#021 - Today we talk with Oakland native, resident and entrepreneur Nicole Felix Borders of Pound Bizness.  Pound Bizness is literally a labor of love.  Nicole’s husband Reggie made 4 pound cakes from a family recipe for Nicole’s mom to take to the church fish fry.  When she came home with a dozen orders, Nicole said… “how you got us a dozen orders when we're not even a business.” More and mo...

#020 - Today we talk with Oakland resident and entrepreneur Aram Cretan of Federation Brewing, a producer of award winning craft beer.  Aram created Federation with his childhood friend and then roped in his retired “banker” dad to keep the books. What started as a home brewing project over 10 years ago grew into brewing for friends' weddings.  I asked Aram when he thought he had business: “Y...

#019 - Today we talked to Brady Bellis from Oakland’s Rocky’s Market. The original store is located in the Oakmore neighborhood (440 Leimert Blvd, Oakland). Rocky’s is more than a local independent grocery store, it is a community fixture. " we know so many people on a first name basis”. AND “we provide a lot of local food and we've worked with farmers to bring produce in and try to main...

#018 - Today we talk to Imani Glove from The Lemonade Bar.  The Lemonade Bar specializes in fresh squeezed lemonade and organic handcrafted frozen lemonades.  She and her husband Cedric started off with a hot dog cart, but the business did not do so well.  When they incorporated fresh squeezed lemonade, the business took off.  The lemonade began outselling the hotdogs, so they ditched the dogs and...

#017 - Today we talked to Maria Fernandez from Red Bay Coffee Roaster. Red Bay was founded in 2014 by Keba Konte, a renowned artist and successful food entrepreneur with deep roots in the Bay Area specialty coffee and hospitality industry. In reflecting on why Keba started Red Bay, Maria said: “I think what really resonated with him as far as the coffee business is that there was an opportunity to...

#016 - Today we talk to Tina Wolfe and David Dranitzke from Much Better Butter.  Tina has been roasting seeds for some time.  After working through nut allergies in her kids’ classrooms, she began experimenting on sunflower seed spreads and Much Better Butter was born.  In talking about their target customer, they say.... “It's been interesting to see that it's actually quite a range of...

#015 - Today we talk to Raquel Navarro and Susan Eggett from Oakland Cocktail Week.  They started Oakland Cocktail Week in 2018 to celebrate the “watering holes and mixologists” in Oakland.  After being thrown a curve-ball by COVID, they hope to return with an in-person Oakland Cocktail Week in the spring of 2022. " We wanted to give an opportunity to shine a light on the bar tenders, the bar...

#014 - Today we talk to Ari Takata-Vasquez, the Executive Director of the Oakland Indie Alliance (“OIA”).  OIA is a member-lead nonprofit organization made up of and operated by 400+ local independent business owners who have united to preserve Oakland’s variety, energy, and social fabric. Its motto is “We Exist to Keep Oakland Local and Independent”. OIA supports local businesses in 4 key ways: 1...

#013 - Fall 2021 Oakland Real Estate Round-up Series (Episode 3 of 3).  This is the third episode of the Fall '21 Oakland Real Estate Round-up.  Today we talk to June Mc Daniels who is a top producer with the Better Homes and Gardens Reliance Partners Real Estate and Brenda Wyatt who is an Oakland native and top producer at All California Mortgage. June says - “2022 is going to be a diluted v...

#012 - Fall 2021 Oakland Real Estate Round-up Series (Episode 2 of 3). This is the second episode of the Fall '21 Oakland real estate market.  Today we talk to Shawneequa Badger of The Badger Real Estate Group of Corcoran Global Living and Rouvaun Walker of Phinance US Mortgage Company. Shawneequa says - “Be coachable - if there is something that needs to be adjusted in your offer, make sure...

#011 - Fall 2021 Oakland Real Estate Round-up Series (Episode 1 of 3).  This is the first edition of what we plan to be a recurring series on the Oakland real estate market.  Each of the next 3 episodes will present views of the Oakland real estate market from a local real estate agent and mortgage broker.   Today we talk to Deidre Joyner of Red Oak Realty and Brady Thomas of LaSalle Mortgage Mort...

#010 - Namaste Ready.  Today’s interview is with ShakaJamal, a yoga instructor in Oakland and Founder of Namaste Ready.  He is expanding the reach of yoga beyond its traditional practitioners.  Some people practice at home, but do not feel comfortable going to studios.  He is working with black men, people of color, and young people all over Oakland.  He wants to “transform and change the zip code...

#009 - Be Well Natural.  Today’s interview is with Chris Pearson, Founder of Be Well Natural, a holistic health clinic in Oakland’s Laurel District.  Chris specializes in orthopedics and is a self-professed bio-mechanical geek… “I love the way our bodies tell the story of how someone navigates their life.” The clinic has been in practice in the Laurel District for 6 years.  Through Acupuncture and...

#008 - No immigrants No Spice “NINS”.  Today’s interview is with Vibha Gupta, Founder / Executive Director of Oakland Non Profit No Immigrants No Spice.  Vibha is an Emergency Room physician by day (and night).  As a 2nd generation daughter of immigrants, she started NINS….  “as a way to positively channel frustration and create something that combines my passion for food, culture and people. My h...

#007 - Two Chicks in the Mix.  Today’s interview is with Malaka Wison-Greene, co-owner of Two Chicks in the Mix.  Malaka and her best friend since high school Erica Freeman conceived the idea in 2013 and the business was born.  Malaka operates in Oakland while Erica covers LA.  After hearing this, you will want to try their pastries, pies, cookies, and cakes. “Unique Ingredients, Done Right!” is o...

#006 - LuxGroom.  Today’s interview is with Notch Taplett, owner of LuxGroom.  LuxGroom is a full-service mobile barbershop dedicated to consistently providing shaves, haircuts, and other grooming services while providing a private, relaxing, clean atmosphere for the discerning customer. Before the pandemic, Notch operated a traditional brick and mortar barbershop.  The pandemic forced him to shut...