OAKLAND — A black-owned wine tasting room in downtown Oakland is reopening this week after a temporary closure.
CoCo Noir Wine Shop & Bar is located on the corner of Webster and 13th Street. The owner blamed her sharp decline in business this year on customer concerns about safety.
“I always have to convince customers by telling them we have covered parking and they can take Uber and Lyft,” said Alicia Kidd, owner and sommelier.
Kidd, a Black woman who owns and runs CoCo Noir, says many of her products are produced by women of color. She opened her business with the intention of showcasing smaller and underrepresented producers.
“Minorities and women, particularly Black producers and entrepreneurs, make up less than 1 percent (of the wine industry),” Kidd said.
The Oakland native opened CoCo Noir in December 2022, but said her business took a nosedive in 2024.
“There were days when I was making $300 and I had a team of three people working for me,” Kidd said.
It was unsustainable. She temporarily closed her shop on August 1.
“It’s the safety. That’s why people don’t come. It’s not that they don’t want to come. It’s because Oakland doesn’t have the credibility to be a safe city. If people’s cars are being broken into, they don’t come,” Kidd said.
She refused to let her company become a victim of crime again.
During the temporary closure, Kidd has been doing pop-ups and catering events in the office to pay the bills. She’s also been dipping into her own savings to keep the business afloat. Now, she’s starting an online fundraiser for supporters to help.
“I was born and raised in Oakland. I wanted to be an entrepreneur in Oakland,” Kidd said. “And if you don’t have a business, you don’t have a community.”
She is not alone. Many businesses in the city centre are complaining about a sharp decline in pedestrians.
Cafe Uccello is a block from the wine bar. Owner Richardson David Douglas estimates that foot traffic in the area has dropped by 50 percent.
“That’s why I have to work. I work seven days a week. That’s how I cover the costs. I’m the one who does the grocery shopping. I’m the one who opens and closes (the restaurant),” Douglas said.
Kidd will reopen on Sept. 18 at 4 p.m. with a new model. She said she will offer a smaller wine selection to keep costs down. She will also partner with neighboring businesses to encourage office workers to come in after work.
“I am reborn. I see positivity in the city, but I need the help of our community,” Kidd said.
