Why one of the Bay Area’s most gorgeous spots is full of empty shops
Big Picture
Oakland’s Jack London Square, a waterfront neighborhood with about 6,000 residents, has seen more than half of its storefronts sit empty, turning parts of the district into what some locals describe as a “ghost town.” Long-standing legal limits on what kinds of businesses could open there kept commercial space restricted to maritime or tourism-oriented uses, and a wave of recent closures left restaurants, hotels and entertainment spots shuttered. To address this, the state passed Senate Bill 304, which loosens those restrictions and lets the Port of Oakland lease space to a wider set of retail and everyday businesses. The hope is that allowing places like grocery stores, salons and general shops — along with incoming tenants such as Dave & Buster’s and a few new cafes — will draw local foot traffic back to the waterfront and reduce reliance on tourism.
Why it matters
Vacant storefronts in a high-potential neighborhood reflect broader challenges for Bay Area retail and urban activity. Jack London Square’s situation shows that even scenic, well-located districts can struggle when commercial rules don’t match community needs. Changes like SB 304 could be a turning point by making the area more relevant to residents instead of just visitors. How well this shift works will say a lot about strategies for revitalizing retail corridors in cities where development, zoning and shifting consumer patterns are intersecting with post-pandemic recovery.