Another biz trip to Oakland means a stop at Oaklandish. I picked up 2 cute shirts this time got my…read moreson. The artwork and quality of the shirts is great. Check them out!

Although, I am from here, I never patronized this business…read more I am so glad that I had a chance to stop by and purchase a sweater. I absolutely love the color and saying. The store is spacious and clean. Parking is a pain as it is located downtown. I love the shirt display as soon as you enter. In the back they have a dressing room for your convenience and also gear from other local artists. The young man who helped us provided great service and was knowledgeable about the product. The telephone booth is super cute to take photos. The prices are a little steep, but you really can't find a shop like this that has the bay gear and quality. I can't wait to wear my sweatshirt!

Bay Street is one of Emeryville's best…read more you must park in the garage, and there are certain hours free parking. the plaza, or street, is filled with stores, restaurants and an AMC theater i regularly come to the movies, but i drift to TokyoCentral, a supermarket with many things to buy from, and there's many eats you can have here too

On a whim coming back from a day at the Livermore Outlets we stopped by to check out the Bay Street…read moreoutdoor mall. Heavy Emeryville Police presence with at least 6-8 patrol cars parked within the perimeter. Definitely felt safe and when asked why so many officers on July 2nd they were responding to an alert that there may be groups of young people planning disruptive mayhem in the evening. This was our first time visiting and checked out some of the stores and shops with Tokyo Market being a highlight as well as sitting outside watching the closing moments of Columbia defeating Ghana in the FIFA games. Would we come back? Probably not since we live on the other side of the Bay but it was a nice visit arriving around 6:45 in the evening. 3.5 stars rounded to a 4 overall.

The Oakland City Center is always super clean!!…read more The 12th Street Bart Station is located just down the stairs, and this place is right in the middle of Downtown Oakland. Old Oakland and Oakland Chinatown are just a few blocks away. Lots of small places to eat here, although most are closed during the weekend. You can tell this is a major lunch area during the week for businesses located here and the surrounding area. I think if they promoted this place a little better, it has the potential to be a very popular place, mostly because it is so aesthetically pleasing!!

This is a review of the outdoor, multilevel mall, which confusingly has the same name as the larger…read moretwelve-block redeveloped area of Downtown Oakland in which it sits. I don't know anything about the history of that redevelopment--it's from the 1950s, so it was probably bad--this is just my take on the mall. Between 2003 and 2006, when I was still relatively new to the Bay Area and to riding BART, this place would have garnered four stars. I was in high school and college in the 1990s, and everything about this place screamed '90s, from the public art to the fountain to the fun multiple levels. A legitimately outdoor mall that descends underground yet still has plenty of sunlight and open space? Sign me up!--or at at least, I'll eat my lunch here! And I did. I had an internship nearby one summer, and I ate lunch here pretty often, and when that was over and I worked seasonally at UC Berkeley, I would often stop here on the way home and visit La Salsa--remember La Salsa? The memories of those mid-aughts days still make me smile, like playing Street Fighter III: Third Strike. I also used the FedEx Office (then called FedEx Kinko's) a few times for work and grad school. The mall itself is still remarkably clean, but it's also hugely depressing because there are so few businesses left. Go to their website right now. The three categories listed are dining, services, and shopping. There are a few dining and services options remaining, but there is a single shopping option: Walgreens. That's right; in this entire mall, the only place you can buy a non-food-related gift for someone else is a drugstore. I can't say that the mall ever felt terribly crowded, but when I would come here during the day, there were people eating at the tables and sitting on the benches and walking around. Its proximity to BART* should guarantee it lots of business, but alas, I guess enough people are still working from home that businesses just can't survive here. It's a shame, too, because it really is a nice space. Online shopping really has reduced social interactions with strangers and has ruined social cohesion in many ways. *The 12th Street/Oakland City Center BART Station has an exit right into the lowest part of Oakland City Center.

Nice gift selection. I came here recently to purchase some gifts for an upcoming birthday, and it's…read morea huge plus if I can also support local makers at the same time. One recommendation is to maybe have some non-branded bag options available for patrons who spend above a certain amount to make their purchases gift-ready (or offer a selection of gift bags for purchase at the store). Otherwise, it's great to have a brick an mortar gift shop in the neighborgood featuring local art and products.

Great place to buy unique local theme gifts and great vibes…read more I'm also a artist who has merch available at this store. Make sure to stop by and support small business and say hi to the cat on the way in.

Such a cute, welcoming store. The space feels thoughtfully curated, which makes you feel glad you…read morestopped in. It's the kind of place you walk into on a whim and want to linger.

I've been shopping here ever since it was Good Stock and I am a fan for life! Incredible selection…read moreof artisan and vintage goods- many from woman owned businesses which I LOVE! You will find home goods, beauty, skincare, clothing, teas and everything in between. One of Ng fav shops in the area!

My girlfriend brought me here because she knows I'm into anime and looking for some toys from my…read morechildhood to fill my display cases. Yes, there were a lot of awesome figures and statues to see that bring back some nostalgia to when I was kid. However, a lot of the toys both in package, on card, or loose were a bit overpriced. Some figures had horrible sun damage to them seeing as this location is in a warehouse type building. The lady behind the counter wasn't helpful as we walked in and around the front in for about 10-15 minutes before she even said hi. After that she just walked around putting things away and sat behind the counter. Now what's upsetting? My girlfriend found this 3-pack of Shattered Glass Transformers (Evil Dinobots) from SDCC. I clearly asked if I could open them and she said they were new. I didn't like that answer and how snappy she was with me. I kept them in the box until I got my new display case and Lord behold, they're all broken. All 3 figures wastes are popped off and will not plug into the bodies or stay in place, Grimlock's dino head is snapped, the plus to keep Slag's dino head on its body are broken, and some of Snarl's scales are broken. There's no point in keeping them. And I would feel bad, like the owner should feel, if I were to try and sell them off broken to anyone else.

Shop located in Oakland that specializes in collectibles and primarily Manga and Anime IPs and…read morecharacters. The place looks like it's located within a residential home so it threw me off at first. But there's a sign at the front. The folks here are very friendly and they're very knowledgeable. In terms of value, it's hard to say only because there are a lot of items that are highly collectible in addition to your run of the mill, newer IP's. In my opinion, I feel like the prices are pretty fair, especially since they may have some hard to find pieces that collectors are looking for. I came here with my nephew before we had dinner in the area. He's a big fan of anime and manga and especially things related to Godzilla. He ended up buying a figure. Just a really cool store in a very unexpected non-descript place.

Jack London Square is one of my favorite places to slow down and enjoy the day. There are great…read morerestaurants and cafés, a pet store, a candy shop, and a store for water sports and outdoor gear. It's also just a short walk to World Market, a nearby movie theater, and downtown Oakland. If you're driving, there's a convenient parking garage. What I love most is that you don't have to spend any money to enjoy yourself. You can sit under the trees, watch the boats, stretch out on the grass, listen to live music, and simply enjoy the waterfront. The square itself is pedestrian-friendly, so you can relax without traffic rushing by. Sundays are especially enjoyable with the farmers market and live performances. Today I'm listening to the talented musicians from the Oaktown Jazz Workshops, who also have a home right here in Jack London Square. Every now and then, you'll hear a train passing by, which somehow adds to the character of the place. I'm really going to miss The Plank. It was such a fun community gathering spot and a place where I often came just to unwind. Another bonus is the free shuttle from Alameda, which makes getting here easy and enjoyable. Whether you're looking for a meal, a movie, a waterfront stroll, or simply a peaceful no cost place to sit and recharge, Jack London Square is well worth a visit.

Ah, it has been awhile since I was last at Jack London Square. It was a nice tourist area for their…read morefarmer's market, food trucks, biking, walking, restaurants, sightseeing, ferry, etc. Though, I know they were hit hard by Covid/pandemic which closed a lot of businesses and the hotel. It's still a nice place to visit during the day. Support your local businesses.

Boho chic home goods store which also carries some curated body/skincare goods, clothes, purses,…read moreand kitschy gifts. It reminds me a bit of Anthropologie stores but more specialized home designer goods and textiles. Prices range from mid to premium for most items. Cool and trendy shop to look around and find that gift for your worldly friend who may have everything.

There are lots of gift shops around. They all look like they are supplied by the same vendors. I…read moredon't bother reviewing most of them. So it's not able when a shop stands out because of their selection of things that I might actually buy! Eclecticism! Maison d'Etre is one of those (and there are others on the same street!). I was impressed, and felt certain that they would have goods that changed over time as well. No mere Therapy store here! Best way to know what I'm talking about is to check out all the pictures.

I love this spot. It's been in existence for so long located in the restored Swan's Marketplace…read more Hubby and I decided to chill in downtown Oakland and came here for breakfast. Housewives Market is a community of mom-pop restaurants that share an open floor plan filled with plenty of wooden tables for dining. We decided to eat at Corsecha - freshly made Mexican breakfast delectables! Makes my mouth water! After a delicious meal, we walked around to check what other stands have to offer. At the very back is a seafood market where you can buy fresh fish, crab, and other sea creatures. Next to it, is a meat market where they serve a variety of sausages! We came home with a handful of them! My next visit is the Japanese stand! Great place to check out! Oakland's coming up!

My mom and dad used to go back here in the day when traffic wasn't as bad and when this was a…read morepowerhouse! Those days have long passed. Now they have fancy-ish, ethnically diverse delights, a meat counter, and a cupcake place and a lot of closed stalls. The most frustrating for me is that they will have a stall that is fantastic, only to have it close in a couple of years. The people who work there are very nice. We did have a weird interaction with someone from a restaurant that was no longer there. The value is fine. This is a place that I will park and go to if I see a parking space. If I don't, I won't even bother. I don't know how I feel about them. They are so far from what they used to be and I wonder if closing down and starting over would have been preferable.

Great spot with lots of fun gifts, cards, kitchen goods, and trinkets. I love that there's an…read moreOakland section too! I'll be shopping here for my holiday gifts for sure. The staff is nice and the store is dog-friendly which was nice as I stopped in while walking my dog after work.

I enjoy Nathan & Co when shopping for a last-minute gift, but I was disappointed at their customer…read moreservice during my last experience. During the holidays, I bought a bunch of gifts for my in-laws in New York, and it turned out that some of the items were expired! When I brought the item back, the cashier did not offer an apology until I expressed the embarrassment of gifting an expired thing. The lack of accountability and nonchalant-ness is unfortunate when I've spent so much money at that store. I went around and checked out some of their other perishable items and noticed that they, too, were expired. Nathan & Co, step your game up and get better employees that actually care about being there enough to check inventory & provide decent customer service.