Women who run small shops on Oakland's Piedmont Avenue are teaming up for a month to get more people to visit their stores and help each other sell more products and services.
Celebrating Women's Success with Special Deals
The Women of the Avenue Shopping Passport has been launched to celebrate Women's History Month. It offers discounts and special deals throughout March and the chance to win exciting raffle prizes.
"Allison Futeral, who has owned Crimson Horticultural Rarities for over ten years, expressed her surprise at Piedmont Avenue's number of women-owned businesses. "I knew a lot of us, but seeing just how many amazed me," she said, highlighting the strong presence of female entrepreneurs in the area.
Futeral, who shifted her career from public health to follow her passion for plants at 45, has seen her business flourish on Piedmont Avenue for several years. Her story is just one example of the resilience and entrepreneurship of women on this bustling street.
In an interview with KPIX at her store, she said, "I never thought I could do this. But I truly love how happy plants make people."
Crimson is among 20 shops joining the special passport event. Over 30 women, including those from appointment-only businesses, are taking part. Visitors to any participating store in March can get a passport stamp without purchasing. Collecting more stamps increases the chance to win prizes from all the involved businesses.
"This event helps more people learn about our street, the small shops here, and especially those run by women," Futeral explained.
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Mica Talmor, the chef and owner of Pomella Restaurant, played a key role in creating the passport to support fellow businesses and honor Women's History Month. In addition to the passport, all participants will use their social media to spotlight a different business each day, aiming to introduce each woman-owned business to a wider audience.
Talmor emphasized the initiative's deeper purpose: "We want to come together to show the community the essence of small, women-run businesses and the impact women have through their daily endeavors."
Celebrating Women's Businesses and Pomella's Milestone
Since opening in March 2020, Pomella Restaurant has been marking its fourth year with a special campaign. The raffle winners will be announced at Pomella next month, adding to the celebration. Owner Mica Talmor is already looking forward to expanding the initiative next year, aiming to include more women and their businesses in 2025.
Talmor reflects on the progress made by women in business and acknowledges the efforts of those who paved the way. "I'm now incredibly aware of what women before me have done. It feels like many women have opened doors for me," she shared.
The campaign rewards customers for visiting stores and aims to draw more attention to small, local businesses. It highlights the ongoing need for support regardless of a business's location or age.
Acknowledging women's broader challenges, Allison Futeral, who was involved in the campaign, pointed out, "It's still a struggle for women out there. A woman's life is filled with unique challenges and ups and downs."
This initiative is a step towards recognizing and supporting the contributions of women in the business world, fostering a sense of community and encouragement among small business owners.
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