"Riemann, who opened the first Top Dog with her husband Richard Riemann in 1966, said that they decided not to renew their lease at the Oakland shop at 3272 Lakeshore Ave. following a string of recent robberies; they have been renting month-to-month ever since. Financially, they weren't sure if they could keep the business going. However, she said that business has turned around since then and that they had resolved to stay."
""In a nutshell, they're putting in who they want to put in and evicting us," Riemann said. "It's really painful. It's my favorite place." SFGATE could not reach the building's owner for comment in time for publication. Riemann said that the owner has not responded to her attempts to speak with them, but she hasn't completely given up hope yet. "I keep trying one thing after another to see if there's a loophole," she said."
"Riemann is 81, and her husband is 89, so she said that if her attempts to save the Oakland shop fail, it might ultimately make sense for them to downsize. "My husband is trying to help me feel better," she said. "When we met, we had just one Top Dog. And as we grew older ... this might be what's at the end of our life, just one.""
Top Dog's Oakland location, open 14 years, is expected to close in the next few weeks after owners did not receive a renewed lease following recent robberies and a building sale. The owners had been renting month-to-month and worried about financial viability, though business later improved. The building's new owner has not responded to the owners' attempts to negotiate, and the owners continue seeking any possible legal or contractual options. A downtown Berkeley location closed last year due to construction plans that have since stalled. Owners aged 81 and 89 say downsizing to one location may make sense.
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