California Business Minute™

The California Redevelopment Association, CRA provides legislative
advocacy, professional development and public education.  In support
of its members it responds to legislative proposals and administrative
regulations.

For further information, contact us www.calredevelop.org or at 916-448-8760

Hi, I am Tim Johnson and welcome to the California Business Minute.

Buy Local and buy it in Oakland. That is the message from the city's merchants,
who have beefed up their Shop Oakland Grown campaign in time for the holidays.

The campaign includes a Web site, www.shopoakland.com, which shoppers can
use to locate local retailers. The idea behind Shop Oakland is to bring attention to
the city's businesses and reduce retail leakage.

Oakland's retail scene is far behind other cities. According to the city’s Community
and Economic Development Agency residents spend only $1 out of every $3 on clothing,
furniture, sports equipment and gifts in Oakland. That adds up to $1 billion annually in
revenue lost to other cities and the Internet. Those sales could add up to $10 million in
tax revenue and 10,000 jobs, according to figures from the city.

This year, in addition to the Web site, merchants will be handing out reusable shopping
bags branded with the Oakland Grown logo as a part of the campaign. Oakland Recycles
is donating 100,000 of the cloth bags to merchants who will pass them on to customers,
taking paper and plastic bags out of circulation.

I am Tim Johnson and this has been the California Business Minute.

Also see Minute 09-22-08 San Jose Buy Local Program