Businesses abandon Hegenberger corridor in blow to Oakland economy
OAKLAND -- The A's announcement to leave Oakland after this season hurts not only sports fans, it's also a major economic blow for the beleaguered Hegenberger business corridor.
Retired city officials said it took decades to convince companies to invest in the area. Many people are angry that years of hard work vanished in a short amount of time as businesses left the city.
The A's will soon join a growing list of businesses that have departed the Hegenberger corridor. The team admits the move will result in job losses.
"We don't necessarily want to call it an economic desert but it's starting to look that way," said lifelong east Oakland resident Charles Johnson.
Johnson said the looming A's departure is just more economic pain for some of his neighbors who work as concession workers at the Coliseum.
"It is absolute frustration and it even goes to, at times, a level of anger," Johnson said.
The Hegenberger area has seen a decline in recent years that started with the departure of Walmart in 2016. The pace of closures sped up in the last 12 months. Losses include two Starbucks stores, a Subway, an In-N-Out, a Denny's and Black Bear Diner. Two restaurants, Taco Bell on Hegenberger Road and Raising Cane's, have closed their dining rooms and gone to drive-thru only because of car break-ins.
"It's so sad. I would always go to the Denny's around here," said east Oakland resident Bethzy Mares.
"You look at it today, they're leaving here like the city is on fire," said Bishop Bob Jackson with Acts Full Gospel Church.
Acts Full Gospel is located near the Coliseum. Bishop Jackson said that, while the A's are leaving for a different reason, the result is the same: less tax income and fewer jobs for people in east Oakland.
"This is just helping crime to escalate even more because, without jobs, without making money, what are you going to do? How are you going to live?" Bishop Jackson asked.
Neighbors believe it may take many years to revitalize the Hegenberger corridor.
"The crime for sure, especially as a younger woman, coming to the gym here is scary. I make extra sure I lock my car. I look all ways. It's scary," Mares said.
Johnson said the city has to improve public safety or businesses will continue to leave.
"I don't think (Oakland is) over. I just think that we have to have some optimism and have some visionaries who would like to come back and make Oakland tough and strong like it was before," Johnson said.
The A's are scheduled to play their last regular season home game on Sept. 26.