Top Oakland restaurateur reeling after dual burglaries on same day
OAKLAND -- Nelson German, renowned chef and owner of alaMar Dominican Kitchen in downtown Oakland, is thinking of closing his acclaimed restaurant following back-to-back burglaries last Friday.
"In just an hour and a half, we were hit twice and that devastated us. To wake up to that, to see two people just taking everything from the bar, filling up garbage bins full of our products, things that we need to survive..." German said.
Surveillance footage captured the moments when the perpetrators broke into his establishment, making off with approximately $6,000 worth of liquor. This marks the eighth time that his business has been targeted by burglars.
"It was heartbreaking ... people know me. I'm always the one that's uplifting others, always happy, always has a smile on my face but this is the first time I've felt deflated, really down and kind of out," German said.
In response to the incidents, German took to social media to express his frustration, shedding light on the ongoing challenges faced by small business owners in the neighborhood.
"I'm exhausted. I'm tired ... I just feel super bad about what's happening and not just for us but others too who've been hit and it hurts us. This is our baby," German said in a video posted to social media.
Despite the setbacks, Chef German remains committed to his dream of sharing his Dominican heritage in the Bay Area. However, he admitted that he is considering leaving Oakland if the situation does not improve.
"We're the only Dominican restaurant on the West Coast and there are a lot on the East Coast, where I'm from. But here we're the only ones so we're super unique. There's nothing like it and it makes me happy to be in this place for ten years," he said.
In a show of solidarity, customers turned out in large numbers on Mother's Day to support alaMar and its owner. Doris Valdivieso and her family, returning from an outing at the Oakland Zoo, stopped by to show their support for the struggling restaurant.
"What a shame! Because these are small businesses that need to sell in order to survive and it's always hard with all this crime because people think twice before coming," Valdivieso said.
Despite the challenges, Chef German finds hope in the support of the community, expressing gratitude for the opportunity Oakland has provided him. While the future remains uncertain, German remains committed to his community.
"Oakland gave me this and it made me realize my dreams so I would always be grateful to Oakland and I wanna stay here and I wanna expand but it's a hard thing to say where to go. I haven't really thought about it 'cause my heart is still here even though it's broken right now. But you never know -- but the community doesn't want me to go."