Oakland's downtown struggles to rebound after pandemic

Oakland's downtown area, once touted as a thriving hub for food and culture, has been slow to recover its momentum since the pandemic. A recent report by commercial real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield shows that nearly 38% of office space in the downtown area remained vacant in the first quarter of the year.

Downtown businesses suffer from lack of foot traffic

The dearth of office workers and tourists has dealt a significant blow to small businesses that relied on steady foot traffic to stay afloat. One such casualty is Coco Noir, a wine shop and bar that will shutter its doors on July 5 after three and a half years in Business.