Polls and surveys consistently show that Oakland, California, has one of the highest concentrations of LGBTQ people in the nation. It also has one of the largest populations of lesbian-headed households, and is among the most integrated cities in the U.S. The White Horse Bar, which has been serving the LGBTQ community since 1933, is the oldest operating gay bar in the country. Back in the day, former places like Mary’s First and Last Chance—a popular lesbian bar not far from The White Horse—legally fought and won rights for the LGBTQ community.
Oakland’s LGBTQ history is therefore long and noteworthy, but only recently did it lead to an officially recognized district. As Oakland Vice Mayor Rebecca Kaplan wrote in the San Francisco Bay Times: “On November 7, 2023, Mayor Sheng Thao, several elected officials, Oakland LGBTQ leaders, and Jeopardy! champ Amy Schneider gathered to celebrate the opening of The Lakeshore LGBTQ Cultural District. The organizing of community leaders and a resolution I wrote along with Council President Nikki Fortunato Bas and Councilmembers Fife and Kalb came together to make this district a reality.”
The mission of the new district, which not only includes Lakeshore Avenue but also much of Grand Avenue, is:
The Chair of the district’s Committee is Jeffrey Myers, who with Joe Hawkins co-founded the Oakland LGBTQ Community Center in 2017. The center is at the heart of the new district. Including the center, Myers told the Bay Times that the following businesses within the district are LGBTQ owned and operated:
Alkali Rye – Oakland’s Beverage Shop
3256 Grand Avenue
https://sipalkalirye.com/
Arizmendi Bakery
3265 Lakeshore Avenue
https://arizmendilakeshore.com/
Bay-Made (gift shop)
3295 Lakeshore Avenue
https://www.bay-made.com/
Galleria Scola (picture framing & art restoration services)
3646 Grand Avenue
https://galleriascola.com/
Kinetic Chiropractic
3645 Grand Avenue, #305
https://www.kineticchiropractics.com/
Michael’s Chocolates
3352 Grand Avenue
https://www.michaelschocolates.com/
Modigliani Café
3208–3210 Grand Avenue
https://www.modiglianicafe.com/
Oakland LGBTQ Community Center
3207 Lakeshore Avenue
https://www.oaklandlgbtqcenter.org/
Queer Arts Center
3411 Lakeshore Avenue
https://www.queerartscenter.com/
The Sanctuary (boutique)
3344 Grand Avenue
https://www.thesanctuary.energy/
Shakewell (restaurant with a prominent LGBTQ past since it was co-founded by acclaimed out and proud Chef Jennifer Biesty)
3407 Lakeshore Avenue
https://www.shakewelloakland.com/
Slick & Dapper on Grand (barber shop)
3619 Grand Avenue
https://www.slickanddapper.com/
United Grooming (barber shop)
3351 Grand Avenue
https://unitedgrooming.com/
VT Nails Spa
3423 Lakeshore Avenue
https://vtnailspaoakland.com/
We encourage you to support these and the many other small businesses in and around the district. As for the Castro, The Lakeshore LGBTQ Cultural District is not just a tourist destination or a shopping district, but a thriving community. Investments in our communities make such a big difference in terms of safety, employment, quality of life, and more. By helping bring individuals together, the district will also help to identify both problems and opportunities for the local LGBTQ community and those who proudly reside in the area.
It has been a grey, rainy winter, so for those of you reading this from San Francisco or the North or South Bay, consider heading to the sunnier side of the Bay Area—to Oakland. It is forever an underdog, and yet it has some of the most magical and rewarding destinations, including The Lakeshore LGBTQ Cultural District.
https://www.lakeshorelgbtqculturaldistrict.org/
Oakland’s Lakeshore LGBTQ Cultural District
Published on March 7, 2024
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