The Waterfront Hotel in Oakland's Jack London Square will close as of January 31, 2025, prompting concern from local business owners about its economic impact. Restaurant owner Derreck Johnson highlights the importance of anchor businesses for smaller establishments, mentioning his sales increase when surrounded by bigger names. Loren Taylor, a former city councilmember and mayoral candidate, emphasizes the need for local authorities to retain businesses and find new operators for the hotel, underscoring the broader implications for Oakland’s commercial viability.
To hear that they are leaving is very disappointing. But understandable, because the traffic in Jack London is so slow," says Derreck Johnson, who runs the popular Home of Chicken and Waffles restaurant in Jack London Square.
I know people want to keep Oakland ma and pa. I mean, I'm ma and pa. But my sales tripled when we had a Friday's, and El Torito - when I had all of that surrounding me," explains Johnson.
We got to work aggressively to fill them back up. To find another operator for the hotel. To find other folks to run the businesses that are anchored here, able to commit for a longer term. And we will support them. Because Oakland has to be open for business," says Loren Taylor.
That is a big hit. It is extremely frustrating, that we have hotels closing," says Loren Taylor, the former Oakland City Councilmember, who is now running for Oakland mayor in April's special election.
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