Comments on: East 18th Gets Thrift Store that Lakeshore Spurned

By: william

william — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 19:43:32 +0000

I rarely go into any stores on Lakeshore or Grand Avenue, except Trader Joe’s, and I hesitate to go there, due to the crowds. I don’t buy women’s clothing, dull GAP clothing or over-priced athletic shoes. I may have popped in OOTC if it were there. But there’s not much else of any interest to me. nearly 50 AWM.

By: dc

dc — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 05:55:48 +0000

Ralph: How are decisions that result in long-term empty storefronts part of a “well thought out plan” that is “in the best interest of Oakland?” As for the “Lakeshore demographic,” I would just make two points. First of all, some people with disposable income enjoy shopping in thrift stores (even some of the people objecting to OotC on the Grand Lake Guardian website freely admitted that they sometimes drive to other neighborhoods to shop in thrift stores—they just didn’t want one on Lakeshore). Secondly, the “Lakeshore demographic” is much broader than just the people who live in Trestle Glen. Lakeshore is used as a primary shopping district for many people in less wealthy areas such as Adams Point or East Lake (or should that be “Eastlake”?), and they come for a wide variety of reasons, whether it be affordable food at Trader Joe’s, idiosyncratic knick knacks at Urban Indigo, fruits and vegetables at the farmer’s market, Yoga classes at Monkey Shala, or sneakers at Foot Locker. I doubt there is any single person who frequents more than 50 percent of the stores on Lakeshore, but urban neighborhoods are urban because they have a bunch of people with diverse interests and diverse habits and diverse means who all live in close proximity, and I don’t see the great harm in adding a thrift store to the mix.

Incidentally, I stopped by Out of the Closet today, and it was actually nicer than I expected. Perhaps it’s because the store is brand new, but it seems to have less junky stuff and be less disorganized than a lot of thrift stores. I got a decent lightweight Pendleton wool shirt and a parrot necktie. It seemed to have plenty of customers too. It’ll be interesting to see what it’s like six months from now.

By: ralph

ralph — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 03:49:01 +0000

dc, to answer your question, i have no second thoughts about the empty GapKids. When I think of Lakeshore, I think of everyday stores not every so often stores. I want stores that fit with the economic dempgraphic. OOTC is not an everyday store for the Lakeshore demographic. The general problem I have is with people who think all stores are equal, a store is better than no store, and being hypocritical when council actually makes a smart economic decision.

Every so often someone on council actually makes a decision that is in the best interest of Oakland. I can understand one’s frustration because these are typically one-offs versus part of a well thought out plan. All I can say is baby steps.

By: jabel

jabel — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 03:38:33 +0000

I have an Out of the Closet a few blocks from me near Westwood Blvd and Pico in LA and I love to wander through.I’ve never really looked at the clothes though I like to look at the assorted flotsam and jetsam.The one by me has a lot of books but they aren’t in any order and there are a good deal of mass market pulp and best seller types making it time consuming looking for the offbeat Gem.Plus one of the guys who works there wears a Red Sox cap quite often more battered than mine.

By: ralph

ralph — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 03:35:26 +0000

While I have shopped the OOTC store in SOMA I was not enthusiastic about it opening on Lakeshore. Notwithstanding its noble mission, OOTC was not a good fit for Lakeshore. THe Lakeshore District while it may not have the same stores as a College Ave (had), it is much better than a discount thrift shop. I am glad that PK fought this and will support her in continued efforts to fight store that are not acretive to the community.

By: dave o

dave o — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 16:45:59 +0000

After wasting fortunes on real estate and the auto industry in Oakland, I’m not sure if I trust the economic judgement of city government. Is there really anybody who doesn’t know about all of the pending problems (resource scarcity, many different kinds of debt, climate change, aging demographics, and on-and-on)? Thrift stores and laundramats are at the cutting edge of a future that will have less and less cash around. City government is in denial if they think that there is an affluent future for Oakland (or America).

By: Andy Panda

Andy Panda — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 08:23:48 +0000

I went in that OotC today & the people were all on it & really nice. There were a bunch of new old stock ladies western shirts from the 1940s in the men’s long sleeve shirts section, sized medium, if anyone is interested.

By: Matt

Matt — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 22:38:25 +0000

I agree with DC’s points. I’ve lived in five states, in or near Chicago, Miami, Philly, Dallas and LA. I also ran a lighting showroom in SF. I now own and live in Downtown Oakland. If Out of the Closet’s type of business fit within the confines of the area zoning then let it be there. For a business to want to be somewhere it makes that decision based on whether it thinks it will succeed or not. Now we have an empty storefront that only adds to a number of existing empty storefronts on Lakeshore. I ask, how can one dog Out of the Closet and be fine with the aging 24hr Colonial Donuts shop or the boisterous Easy Lounge? I would have really enjoyed perusing Out of the Closet and grabbing brunch at Rolling Dunes. Because the other stores offer me nothing my trips to Rolling Dunes stay few and far between. Healthy retail districts are divers retail districts!!!

By: dc

dc — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 05:14:33 +0000

Just to make sure it’s clear to Andy and any other new visitors, I am the author of this blog as well as having written the comment by “dc” above.

I can see how OotC might be a better “fit” for East 18th than Lakeshore in some ways—in part because of the differences in the neighborhoods, but also because of the differences in the spaces (the E 18th St. store has a parking lot, for instance, which may be handy for a thrift store which has a lot of bulky dropoffs being brought in every day). That said, I think members of the City Council should err on the side of not meddling in negotiations between landlords and tenants, except in pretty limited circumstances. The possibility that some customers of a business will be people without “disposable income” is not one of those circumstances. As I said in the post, I think East 18th Street’s gain is Lakeshore’s loss—there are numerous empty storefronts on Lakeshore these days, and I wonder if any of the people who objected to OotC in early 2008 have any second thoughts when they walk past that still-vacant GapKids storefront in late 2009.

By: Andy Panda

Andy Panda — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 04:23:28 +0000

I think that Out Of The Closet is a better fit on E. 18th St. than it would have been on Lakeshore. I think that OotC stores tend to be gross, & poorly run, with, by & large crap merchandise. I live on E. 17th st. so I am glad to see one less empty storefront & since I can’t got to Uhuru any more, I can go in OotC to snoop around when I’m bored or need a shirt to paint in. dc is correct about the contents & the neighborhood.