MAIN STREET LAUNCH AWARDED $2 MILLION BY WELLS FARGO TO SUPPORT AFRICAN AMERICAN ENTREPRENEURS This grant will enable Main Street Launch to address the racial wealth gap through launching an African American Entrepreneurship Institute. May 6, 2019, Oakland: Wells Fargo announced a $2 million dollar grant in support of Main Street Launch, a Community Development…
Victor and Ken started Mr. East Kitchen in August 2018 after beginning the planning process in December 2017. They used the loan they received from Main Street Launch as working capital.
Two years ago, the husband-and-wife team, Richard and Mercedes, first thought about opening a family-friendly bar & restaurant. They fell in love with Oakland’s Laurel District, where Degrees Plato now operates, and they feel fortunate for their great neighbors and a supportive community. Now, Degrees Plato has 18 employees, and Richard and Mercedes see their…
Are you considering a green certification for your business, but not sure where to start? There are many ways small businesses in different industries can incorporate green practices into their operations. We caught up with three small business owners in Oakland to get their perspective on getting green certified in California. The Punchdown “The green…
Subpar Miniature Golf is an indoor miniature golf course and arcade founded by Michael Taft and David Abernathy. They opened their original location in Alameda in August 2012. Since then, they closed that location and opened a new one at Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco in June 2018. At Subpar, mini golf is the focus…
Are you a small business owner seeking a loan from Main Street Launch, but have some questions about the process? Featured here is loan readiness advice from three experts: Karla De Leon, Senior Vice President – San Francisco Market Manager Adrian Gomez Zavala, Vice President – Relationship Manager Joshua Marquez, Program Manager – Veteran Launch…
Main Street Launch is proud to partner with Pacific Community Ventures, a nonprofit business lender on a mission to create jobs for working people and make markets work for social good. They achieve their mission through a combination of fair lending, free mentorship, impact investing consulting services, and field building research. Featured here is an…
Café El Patio is a casual community-based café founded by Allan Coello, located in East Oakland. Café El Patio serves single origin coffee that comes directly from a family member’s farm in Honduras.
Bar Shiru is a hi-fi vinyl listening music bar in Oakland, and the first of its kind in the Bay Area. It was founded by business partners Shirin Raza and Daniel Gahr, who also happen to be wife and husband. Shirin and Dan met in 2008 while working at Current TV. Both of them were…
After spending a year popping up around town and leasing kitchen space, Romney and Steven opened The Cook and Her Farmer in 2014. Through their partnership, they have grown The Cook and Her Farmer into the successful restaurant it is today and contributed to the thriving of Swan’s Market as part of the Old Oakland Renaissance.
