Meet Your Neighbor - Terry Martinez

Who are you and what do you do?

I am Terry Martinez with Village Properties, I am a Realtor and co-owner of the San Leandro office.

What do you love about San Leandro?

I love the urban suburban feel, I love that its multicultural.  We have resources all within 30 minutes of us, we have 3 international airports, we have two BART stations, we are commutable to San Francisco and San Jose, but you also know your neighbors, you're out on your street and seeing your neighbors.

You are very much involved in the community, we met because we live on the same street and have even done a street party together

I want my neighborhood to be somewhere where people want to be, I want my kids to feel safe I have a houseful of kids. I want them to feel that other people are looking out for them. One of the things we have kind of lost is the sense that we are looking out for one another and for one another's families.  In other communities you open your garage door, drive into your garage, you close your garage door and you don't even know who is in your neighborhood.  I want my kids to know if they are four blocks over from us and they are misbehaving that someone is going to give me a call and say I saw your kid doing something stupid, I want to know that other parents think the same thing. We are all working together to raise this generation.

You are also involved with donations to schools, whenever I go to an auction there is always something provided by you, sponsoring wine of whatever.  Tell me about that?

Couple of things, its good marketing, it's also my way to give back to the community  that I benefit from.  I am really intentional, my work tag line is "Your neighbor and Realtor". I work in my neighborhood and community, I do work outside of here, but here is where I feel I really make a difference and have credibility. Doing things with the schools, it keeps me connected things that I may not always be directly involved with anymore because by kids are out of that school.  For Assumption, my kids didn't go there but a lot of my friends kids go there and through neighborhood sports our kids were intertwined .  I just want to know enough about my community to be able to sell my community.

In your office  window you have a community section, it's not the houses that are on top, it's the community section. 

Is that a good thing or not (laughs)

It's a good thing, I get a vibe\feel from you that you love San Leandro and the community.

Don't point that out to my broker that the house are on the second row (laughs).  My community is really important to me, I grew up in San Francisco, by husband grew up in Oakland. We didn't have that same small town neighborhood feel that we have here.

When I started This is San Leandro you were one of the first people to reach out to me and say "Hey, I love this idea" and to get involved, why?

A couple of things, I had just launched my personal website, seeing other people doing stuff that was a little similar was exciting to me.  Also I am on Nextdoor, I get so tired of everybody's rant posts. I wanted something to point my friends and clients to, something that is the real heart of San Leandro.  I don't want to hear about lost dogs and broken into cars all the time and have that be the only thing we are talking about.  I loved what you were doing as it was only the good stuff.

I appreciate that.  Any final quote or words of wisdom?

I am not that brilliant, I'm really not (laughs)

I think you are, when we did the block party I brought the movie screen you did everything else. You dealt with permits, blocking the street off, the decorations and the BBQ.

Thank you Terry

http://www.terrymartinez.net/

Meet your Neighbor - Susan McCue

Who are you and what do you do?

My name is Susan McCue and I work as an office manager for a medical office and do a lot of volunteer work for my kid's school.

What do you love about San Leandro?

I love the community in San Leandro, you will almost always run into someone you know somewhere, which is nice.

You run or have been in involved in the Assumption school auction for how many years now?

For the Auction I chaired or co-chaired for four years, took 2 years off and am now co-chairing it again for a 5th year.

You love it?

I do love it, mostly (smiles)

You are the serial volunteer, you have also organized the Fall festival?

Yes, I love the fall festival.  It's actually something that I didn't think I would ever want to do, because its a multi-day event, but I found that it really brings just pure joy.  Of the volunteer things I do, I think that's my favorite.

That's not just an Assumption thing?

It's for the whole community, everyone is welcome.  It's a place where you feel safe, the kids feel safe, they enjoy themselves.  It's a great community event for Assumption, for all of San Leandro.

I hear you have a big day coming up tomorrow, with the CYO volleyball?

Yes. I am the assistant coach for the girls 8th grade team F Assumption team.  We are going to the championship for the dioceses tomorrow night.  It's really exciting!  These girls have played together  since 4th grade and it has been amazing to watch them grow and come into their own.  They have worked so hard, they have earned this.

It's not just Assumption families for CYO?

The great thing about CYO is its open to the community, you do have to live within the Parish boundaries.  Whatever parish boundaries you live in you can join their CYO program.  Whether it be Assumption or  St Leanders or St Felitias, OLG.  That is how it is in the Metro league.  It makes it more fun, these kids get to know other kids. Our team is made up of Assumption and Bancroft kids.

CYO sport is partially subsidized?

Part by the Assumption Dads Club, we try to keep our rates as low as possible.  Other areas have to charge a lot more, but we are able to keep the CYO rates lower. Which is nice.  There is basketball, volleyball,  track, cross country and Girls softball .

After you have survived the big game on Tuesday, the next thing is the Auction.  What's the theme this year and where is it?

So the Assumption auction is "Bubbles and Bling" and it is going to be held on February 28th at Scott's Seafood in Jack London Square.  All are welcome, it's also a community event.  You can register on the Assumption School website and it's a fun event.  We are raising money for the general fund and also technology in the classrooms, anything above what we have to earn will go towards technology in the classroom. Our MC again this year is Brian Copeland.

Any final parting words? Any words of wisdom?

Learn to say no (laughs), just kidding. I have learnt to say no and truly try and only do things that I feel passionately about.

You do so much for the Assumption school and the community.  As a community we thank you for everything you do.  

Meet Your Neighbor - Nicole Hunter-Maes

I caught up with Nicole at the Pinewood derby for Pack 506 and 556.  She is the Cub Scout leader for Pack 506.

Who are you and what do you do?

My name is Nicole Hunter-Maes and I am a volunteer, I do Cub Scouts, I volunteer at the Roosevelt Elementary.  I have 2 kids at school at Roosevelt  and a 3rd son who goes to St James. I work part time for Knights of Columbus insurance.

What do you love about San Leandro?

I love the sense of community here.  We moved here when my oldest son was starting kindergarten. So we didn't have any experience with school or community, we both worked full time. It was all about work and the kids were in daycare. Then we moved here and all of a sudden it like this extended family, its unbelievable how welcoming it is, this small town community, yet your minutes away from the city, it unbelievable.

Final words?

All I can say is if you are going to raise a child, San Leandro is a great place to do it. I hope that in the future the city allows us to grow, get some more new businesses, get some new restaurants here.  Get people to come here not just to live but to spend their money and enjoy their weekend time.

Meet Your Neighbor - Derick Lee

For meet your neighbor this week I came to see Derick Lee, he has been provided a space to run FLEET at Type A Machines. 

We arrived a little early (my son really wanted to come) and while we waited were given a tour of Type A Machines by Espen. He took us around and showed us models, printers and explained the process and application for the 3D printing technology, he patiently answered all our questions. He gave me his card, our guide was Espen Sivertsen, the CEO of Type A Machines. Thanks Espen. 

Derick Arrived.

Who are you and what do you do?

What a tough question. The fundamental truth of that is that I am a resident of San Leandro that has been here his whole life and I want to make this city great.  There are certain steps to get there and we have to start with step 1.  Step 1 I believe is education and getting our students fundamentally prepared.  Not just attract businesses like this (Type A Machines) which is great, which provides opportunities but really working into the core of where our people are who are vested in this town and have lived here their whole lives and incubate them, have them grow out and make their own businesses have them be talented individuals who work at the companies .  I believe that we need to prepare our people that live here and it starts with the youth

What do you love about San Leandro?

Before or after I got engaged?  Before I got engaged I liked it being a quiet, safe neighborhood with a lot of good people.  The people who came out of this place are very diverse and very diverse minded, very open minded.  You don't necessarily get that from Hayward and Oakland which is interesting. 

After I got engaged , I mean wow.  The business community, the government community, community in general , educational community has all tied in together.  So again it's about the people, the people thread it together.  I think that is a resent thing too, that is what I have witnessed, everyone across all the sectors are working together.  When you get into that, they support you.  That's what I have experienced about San Leandro..

I understand you received an award, the Makers and innovators award of the year, can you tell me about that?

I didn't expect it, I go to the chamber every few days,  I chat with Cece, chat with Dave .  Passing information, hanging out,  They understand what has been happening, what I have been trying to do, what I have worked on and what I am trying to push.  Whether it's starting a company like FLEET, which they are a fiscal agent of, or wanting to do the video and hiring someone to work on that.

Or other ideas that pop up because we are talking about it.  They know everything that I have been working on, they understand my mission. 

I had a wonderful chat with Lisa Jackson about FLEET and got really excited, tell me about your involvement with that?

Fleet essentially a delivery service for emerging technologies .  Our city is looking to transform itself in to a center for innovation and technology and is gaining momentum.  Our citizens have no idea what these technologies are 3D printing, laser cutting. They have heard about it, read about it, seen it on you tube, but they haven't seen it in person, or touched it in person. Our goal was to expose people to those technologies so they can understand what it is about.  So maybe they can be empowered to use it .

And that's going into schools?

It was going to go to just the broad community  at first, but what our focus is on is schools (as the program develops).

I hear you have a bus?

Yes, our bus is the start to how we got mobilized. but when we are talking about schools, we are also talking about high impact, impacting more people that can fit in a bus.  There is only 20 or 30 people that can actually fit in a bus,  then people leave for the next group to come in and be exposed, there is an issue with capacity. So we are thinking of auditorium events, bus less events where we can impact over 100 students at one time.  Just had a meeting with San Lorenzo High and they want our bus March 31st and they want to impact 600 students.

What Stuff do you take?

Type A Machines 3D Printer

Stuff from Type A Machines (in picture), Phase space, Sound fit.  That cube looking thing right there, it's a 3D scanner .  What they do is ear fit, they can make molds, 3D scan it into digital and then print it with any material that's rubber and flexible, they do hearing aids, bio-medical use.  Method Machines which has robotic arms. 

What we are doing is pulling in these partners with their employees.  Say we get Tim Holmes and we get Scot McGregor and Angie from Methods and we develop an event.  My friend Jeff Lou, who will be joining us shortly, calls it "an away team".  We are creating these resources that we have as partners, grabbing their human resource and their knowledge, bringing them to these events to expose potentially thousands of students. That way we have a model of not just training our own staff and try and sustain that, but employee consultants from the companies that we work with.  Those two people (pointing across the warehouse) they don't work for Type A .  They work for their own company Design, Build Draw.  They are just incubating here.  Huge co-working space.  Essentially we are pooling consultants and different free lancers from these companies to bond, to solve challenges.

Derick explains to my son how a laser
cutter works 

I could see the FLEET bus being great for after school programs?

That is further along on our timeline, creating a meaningful long-term program, so it is actually effective in the work place.  Everyone is going to work eventually.  How do we pull information from our partners and create pilot programs for work based learning, which is like internships, job shadows, who do we pull data from these companies  to inform and create curriculum.

Parting Words?

Take the first step

Thanks Derick

After the interview Tim Homles rolled by on his long board to say Hi, the atmosphere is relaxed at Type A but there is definitely a creative focus within the space. When we left my son said that he could really see himself working somewhere like Type A, I can see why.

Learn More about

FLEET

Type A Machines

Bay Area Advanced Manufacturing

Meet Your Neighbor - Sara Ubelhart

Who are you and what do you do?

I am Sara Ubelhart and I run Zocalo , own  Zocalo Coffee House

What do you love about San Leandro?

San Leandro is just awesome in general, I love the people here, the great community  and the hub that is Zocalo

I love Zocalo I will be working at home and just need to get away from it.  You added food this past year,  What prompted you to do that?

When we were talking to Tim and Mitch about buying Zocaolos we were looking at ways in which we could make it sustainable because of the increase in the overhead, so we were trying to figure out how we could make it.  We wanted Zocalo to stay, we wanted to keep it here, but we also need to figure out how we were going to make it, keep it.  We worked with a restaurant consultant, we looked at the numbers and she said you are buying in all this food, there is really no place around to have lunch, or brunch or a decent meal that is reasonably priced that you could bring your family.  This area has tried, there was the Cornerstone over there, and there was this other breakfast place for a little bit.  Our plan was to build a kitchen along all the empty space along the back wall, but because it came down to the wire I ended up moving the roaster out because it was not clear we were going to stay.  So that space opened up so we were able to utilize that space as the kitchen.

I love that now there is food at Zocalo, it gets to lunch and I can grab something to eat and

continue working.

I have worked here for a long time, I knew that people come and this is their office, a lot of folks work from home or work remotely, we need to figure out if people were going to sit here for 3 or 4 hours a way to get them interested in buying things while they were here. It's not going to pay the bills if some buys a coffee for $2 and sits for 6 hours.  I didn't want it to become this high turn around restaurant , I didn't want to lose that feel.  Tim sold Zocalo to me and all of a sudden it's a sit down for half an hour then we kick you out kind of place.  I want to have the food but have people feel welcome to sit and stay and work, because that what Zocalo is, its basically the living room of this neighborhood.  We didn't want to lose that.  I think the lunch and the more casual food really helps to achieve that.

Now on Thursday, Friday and Saturday you stay open later now.

We are starting to stay open until 9pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.  That has been a little slow to get started, I think the word is still getting out there that we are open later.  We had a really cool trivia night.  The Estudillo Estates Neighborhood association put on a trivia night that was hopping, it was really cool.  We are hoping to do more community events like that on those nights.  We are allowed to stay open until 10 because it is a commercial zone , so on nights like that we will stay open till 10.

And you have beer, do you have wine as well?

We have beer and we are doing a wine tasting next week with someone from Wente, which is in Livermore.  She is going to bring in a few of their  wines  so we can taste them.  With beer it was easy, we have Drakes beer and you want to support local and we are getting a few others like the 21st amendment, I have not reached out to them yet.  So the beer was super easy, obviously we were going to do Drakes, with the wine I was happy to find someone that was relatively close in Livermore.  We try to do things as local as we can.

Talk a little about the history of Zocalos, It started as Deans Beans, then it closed and became Zocalos?

Tim addressing the crowd at the closing party

From my understanding when I started working here I was hired right at the year anniversary of Tim and Mitch reopening after their renovation.  I came on early in their ownership.  Tim and Mitch moved here and were working in Silicon Valley, Dean owned the place.  Dean got sick , Tim and Mitch were tired of traveling back and forth .  They wanted to create this hub in their neighborhood so it worked out.  They were able to purchase the business from Dean.  They put their heart and soul into this place and revamp the whole thing.  I never saw it as Deans Beans.  Tim and Mitch created what is here now .  People said I did such a great job.  I just inherited this amazing place, we just had to put in a kitchen and fix the plumbing, everything else was totally them, their vision and what they wanted to see here.  They did so much for San Leandro , it crazy, having worked here for 9 years , saw all the community events, Tim with Steven Cassidy's campaign, neighborhood association meetings happen here,  people just felt like it was their home.  When I moved here it was really great, I just felt at home even being so far away from where I am from.  It's just a great place.

I love the big table,  if you have a group of Scouts or whoever you have enough space to spread out.  Never feels you are all about turnover.  It has this relaxed vibe. 

Zocalos is so huge, it's a huge space, you don't really see coffee shops this big.  It does facilitate so much conversation and is such a great place for people to meet.  There is a kids area too.

You had the Quiz night, do you have any other community type nights planned?

There is a group of literary folks it town that are going to do Zocalo spits on February 5th.  It's going to be their first installment.  I think they have a program every First Thursday of the Month up until May. They have some really great writers coming , and there is an open mike portion of each program, so that's pretty cool.  We have a link of that on our face book  page.  The Author Lemony Snicket is coming, its pretty family friendly but also pretty hip too.  I think it will be good.  We want to do more game nights for sure.  Maybe a Settler of Catan marathon

Any Final Words, pieces of wisdom.

(Laughs) I feel so supported here, the support that I have gotten through this whole process.  We thought it was going to be really easy, we would just be able to buy Zocalo  and it was just going to turn over .  We weren't expecting the health department to come in and have us upgrade the plumbing.  It was a slow and agonizing process.  Just to feel like the neighborhood was behind us every step of the way was so incredible.

It wouldn't be Zocalo without the Staff, the neighborhood and the staff, it just the whole picture.

Thank you so much Sara.

Find Zocalo on Facebook or their Website

Meet Your Neighbor Monday - Larry Allphin

Who are you and what do you do?

I am Larry Allphin. My claim to fame is that I am the 3rd generation, owner, operator, of a family business that was started in 1923.  So my Grandfather started our store in 1923 up in Oakland on Foothill Boulevard just off of Seminary Avenue .  But event before that, before my grandfather opened the store, he and his brother had a business in Greybull Wyoming my grandfathers brother Owen had taken a correspondence course in how to grind lenses so he was like the precursor to an optometrist.  They had a little shop in Greybull Wyoming my grandfather did watch repair he did a course on how to fix watches. and they also made caskets on the side .  Greybull Wyoming is microscopically small, but it was a railroad stop so when grandpa did move to California, because of his knowledge and familiarity of railroad, he was able to get a Southern Pacific watch inspectors franchise. At that time if was a big freakin deal , there was no wireless communication so you had to have a watch that was keeping accurate time if you are working on tracks and its 5 minutes to 10 and the train is coming through at 10 you had to get you, and your crew off of there. So the company actually paid to have your watches maintained if you were an engineer or a master conductor it was a built-in clientele for my grandfather.  That was a game changer in his life.

As Larry talks he continues to work on a project 

So this is Boric Acid that is suspended in Alcohol, and when it heats up and the oxygen gets to the metal its what causes the metal to turn dark and ugly , with this stuff on here it lessens the firescale that occurs during the soldering process.

So a lot of history in the family, my grandfather after his service during world war 2 joined the firm, he went to a watchmaking school that was part of an adult education program in San Francisco, thats where he learnt to become a watchmaker and he ran the firm .

As you can see it was sparse with little inventory but nothing dramatic.  Grandpa always did do retail sales of jewelry and at that time there were districts in Oakland.  The Diamond district, the Seminary District, Lake Merritt and all that stuff. Very rarely did people go too much out of their district, unless they were going downtown Oakland for big entertainment he had a built-in clientele which was good for him.  As a store we have always sold fine jewelry, precious gems and all that stuff.  He always focused on service as well which is a good thing for him because in the depression although business was dramatically impacted, nobody was buying new stuff,, because he fixed stuff he was able to keep a little food on the table which is cool.

Were you working for the family, when did you start working?

That's interesting, I started by cleaning the glass for my father . I went to school here in San Leandro, I went to Roosevelt Elementary and Bancroft Jr High, Not middle school.  The San Leandro high school.  I would get off school when I was going to Bancroft I would take the AC transit bus down to my father shop and I would clean the glass and sweep the floor, get into trouble, so I have always been involved with it.  My actual money earning career I was working for Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream when they had a manufacturing facility on College Avenue in Oakland and I was in there production department making ice cream, I drove a forklift for a while I got married and had a kid.  As soon as I had a kid my father was concerned about my long range potential I guess (laughs) He said why don’t you come and join the business, that was the beginning of a great opportunity for me because I had the chance to apprentice with a retired goldsmith who worked for Shreves in San Francisco and lived here in San Leandro I got to take advantage of his knowledge, that was a fun thing to do.  My father actually fired me twice which in retrospect was kind of cool, at the time not so much.  Finally I joined the firm in earnest and used my goldsmithing skills, he was a watchmaker, I was the goldsmith and we had things covered.  

Larry Continues to work

So what I am doing here is I have a clients engagement ring and wedding ring , when you wear them they rub each other and wears them out.  If they are always going to be wearing those rings together we solder them together at the base.  I heated it up and added gold solder. The wearing has stopped, they don't shift, they stay at the top.

When I started working for my Dad as an employee his shop was at 1336 East 14th, it actually a dog grooming salon now next to Tequila Grill, right next to Dr Flores, all part of the Best Building.  I think dad opened that shop in 1974 after he moved from Oakland after my grandfather passed away. We were there for a long time and then had the opportunity to move over to Pelton Plaza, it was Pelton Center at the time.  We were there for 12 years , then my Dad passed .  The space next to me on Parrot opened, we were there for a while and finally when this little corner location (which was a flower shop) opened I asked my landlord if I could move in here .  He was really gracious, he is an awesome guy and said sure.  I got my smaller spot, perfectly located.  I entend to be here until such a time as I actually retire.  I want to take Alphion Jewelers to its 100th birthday.

You are quite the party thrower so I am sure it will be quite a shindig

I better start saving now

What do you love about San Leandro?

What I really love about San Leandro is probably a direct reflection the fact that I have been here so long, I like the roots, I like the familiarity, people in San Leandro tend to be community engaged, I like the fact the they are active and very supportive, my customer base is so nice.  It’s corny and cliche but I do feel that most of the people that come in my shop are my friends. I think San Leandro is a great bicycle town, during the warmer month I actually commute to work on my bike.  Right now it is a little too cold for me. I do believe that the public schools in San Leandro are excellent, my kids went to school in San Leandro for a while, a couple of the teachers that taught my kids are still my clients today, now my kids are all grown up.  I also like San Leandro because of its proximity to other cities, as much as I like San Leandro, its really easy to go to Berkeley or jump on the freeway and go down to San Jose to a Sharks game.  San Leandro’s a great town.  Its in the slow process of reinventing itself even in the last 5 years I have seen some tremendous things happening and some way cool things happening in the near future with the Tech Campus.  And from a selfish standpoint I am hoping all the people from the Tech Campus will find their way to downtown San Leandro (laughs) It’s 4 whole blocks, and my location next to the Englander is a good opportunity for people to at least notice me, I refer to myself as a barnacle on the hull of the Englander commerce.  I so get a lot of casual walk in clients looking for lunch or beer.  

San Leandro is a relatively safe town, we do have our challenges , SLPD is awesome, they are very good at what they do, they are engaged with the community, I think they really honestly care about their jobs.  I’m saddened that sometime we have critics about our police department, the police department should have critics, but its also a challenging job to perform. I am a fan.  I am elated at our elected officials, I’ve know Pauline for a long time, infact our kids went to Broadmoor Preschool program.  The future I think is good, I like the Village Marketplace, I like the Habit Burger and Peets.  Looking forward to Chipotle opening.  In my view Chipotle is no competition to Los Pericos, they are two different versions of a themed food.  I don’t see the big guys coming in and squeezing out all the little guys, because the little guys are doing a great job.  If they are on the bubble we will try and support them any way we can.

Talk a little about the Farmers Market, I always see you down there

A lot of people think I am the San Leandro Downtown Association and we are in charge of the market.  We are not, we are volunteers to staff the information booth, because of my proximity to the market I volunteer to store the tables and the chairs and provide the electricity for the music, I volunteer to book the music for the market  so I am kind of, in a good way, held hostage on Wednesdays during market season… which I like.  At first when the market came I would sit here in the shop and stay open till 8 o'clock and drum my fingers on the counter and wait for people to come in as an economical development tool and I found that was not working.  I decided to close at my regular 5 o'clock and volunteer in the information booth from 5 till 8.  I get way more business referrals , I don’t wear the Allphin Jewelers shirt, or hat or buttons.  But people say oh hi Larry, how are you doing, Oh I have got to get my watch battery replaced or a ring resized.  Its a stealth way of marketing Allphin Jewelers and its fun, I love the market people, there are regulars. Peggy Collet who is the first shift volunteer who has been doing it longer than me is awesome.  She has her customers I've got my Customers (people who attend the market).  I like the market I am grateful that the City and PCFMA give us the opportunity to give input on the market .  We will meet with PCFMA and the City and Patricia Minnis, Angle Sweet and we are going to try and make it even better.  I am guessing the market is going to open the last Wednesday of March or the first Wednesday in April , It usually runs through October.  Really looking forward to it coming back.

You talked about the Music and the acts here, you are also involved with another music based event with the Downtown Association.

Yes my secret passion , Sausage and Suds.  I was involved with the very first Sausage and Suds committee , I am not going to take any credit for thinking it up, because I didn’t.  It was actually 2 people , a gal named Nancy Cline , she was an economic development coordinator for the City of San Leandro and another gal named Rosie Rios ,

Whip out your wallet and check your dollar bills , It’s Rosie's signature as the treasurer that gets to sign all those bills , I doubt she signs them personally, but I have my little bill with Rosie with her real signature on top.  She was instrumental in getting out first locally recognizable music act named Lenny Williams who played for Tower Power . I really like that , it's a tremendous amount of work but together by a whole bunch of volunteers that put crazy amounts of hours into doing it .  When I am at the event and the people are there and having a really good time I really really feel grateful that I was a part of it.

When I came this year I was blown away, great event.  You act as such a great MC, it seems so natural to you.

After 14 years I am sort of getting OK at it (Laughs) The millennials might say who is that old guy up there, but its fun watching the acts and enjoying the day and seeing everyone having a good time. Plus it makes money for the Downtown Association (beer sales).  We take that money and invest it in events that don’t make money, we finance Bike SL and It’s a Wonderful Night, its good stuff.

Talk a little about the Downtown Association

I got involved in the Downtown Association, I was conscripted/seduced by Ken Pon.  Ken and I used to get up on Sunday mornings and go to the first incarnation of the farmers market, it was held at the San Leandro Library  parking lot.  It was not successful, there was another farmers market in Pelton Plaza That was not long range successful.  It appealed to me for a number of reasons.  Number one is I felt the big association for businesses was catering to big small business, not micro small business.  I consider myself as micro as you can get.  They cated for industrial and corporate stuff, and that is good, those people need an organization, but I found that the downtown Association could help micro Business people and people who wanted to get involved to market their business in a stealthful way, by volunteering and getting their names out there.  It’s a fun organization , we don’t have a political wing, you won’t find us as a group endorsing candidates.  We do like to make our voice heard on what might be good for the City, Thankfully the City is aware of that and  will often come to us and say can we do a presentation on say the Village, here are some architectural  renderings, check it out, give us some feedback and that process was great.  Did it turn out exactly how we would have like to have had it? No, but we had input . They use us as a sounding board.

The meetings are on the 4 friday of the month, you often have SLDP there and they give a little report

Yes, the two things we like to have at the meeting.  Number one is we like to have the police there, not that we want to hear about all the bad things what we like to hear how we can proactively insulate ourselves from crime trends.  Don’t leave your iPhone on the seat of your car, Basic stuff, but when a police officer is telling you that  its compelling.  The other thing we usually have is  someone from the economic development department from the City so people can raise their hands and say.  I’ve heard (and this is True) that X is going to be opening at the village market place, which was not actually true.  It is nice to have someone from the City to ask the questions to, usually Jeff Kaye, a wonderful guy.

This year there was the creation of the central Business district, I know you had some involvement with the process.

I was involved with that, the process is know as creating a community benefits district, the official name of the organisation was The San Leandro Improvement Association.  Property owners are paying into this to create additional, not replacing city services, but creating additional services to keep downtown clean and safe, there is a map, goes from Bart to east 14th, maybe a block in.  Its a weird map, doesn’t apply if its a residential property, all commercial stuff.  Those funds give a consistent, dependable source of income for steam cleaning of sidewalks for trash and litter removal on east 14th street, cleaning up the little plaza and things like Joaquin Plaza because of the drought the fountain is off and the tile looks kind of funky so they are talking about getting that tile so it looks nice until such a time that we can put the water back on.  Some district identity, street banners I have heard that there is a concept of replacing our really old plastic trash cans  with something that is a little more relevant and sturdy.

I was the interim president of that organisation during the formation I am no longer the president but I am on their board of directors, I think it is a great idea and there is some good people who are steering that to benefit downtown.

I have noticed a difference in how clean downtown is

Some people seem to be very interested in the Stepping Stones organization and I know there has been outreach.  We would like to bring stepping Stones back because its a win win, developmentally disabled adults doing some really important  work downtown.  I think we are trying to expand their role.  No contacts have been signed, but I am very confident that we will come to an agreement with them get those individuals back out doing their job

Any Parting words?

As a micro business person I am acutely aware of the adverse impact that big box retailers and Amazon has on our community.  You have to understand that Amazon kills micro retail.  Amazon is really convenient and I will own up to it, I do use amazon, its because you can no longer get products locally because the big boxes took care of wiping out all the small retailers.  I can’t turn the clock back, I can’t stem the tide, Its crazy easy to sit at the computer and say “oh Yeah, Click here I am going to get it tomorrow or the next day.  It dramatically impacts small retailers.  So be judicious about your amazon usage.  Older people like me complain that  I remember when we had Fabric Lane and Pennies and all the stores downtown, Blasedales Office supplies.  The reality is that the community votes with their pocketbooks and that why those people are not here anymore.  You can’t make a living if everyone is going to the big boxes and Amazon , its a challange.  For me I am really lucky, I do lots and lots of service and jewelry is a trust  issue.  By the same token after Christmas I sized dozens and dozens of watches that were bought online because you can’t get your watchband sized online. but thats ok, in a perfect world I wish they has brought them from  local merchants, or even local big boxes .  The money goes back in the community.  You spend local 60% of the money is going to stay in the community, spend at a big box it is something like 40%, you shop on amazon it’s 0%.

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I have brought watches to replace batteries, brought my wifes ring to replace diamonds.  I wanted to add this story, I came in with my wife, she had Jewel to set.  Larry was very honest and realised he wasn’t the person for the job, he gave me contact information for another craftsman .  It always feels like you have the clients interest at heart.  As someone coming into your store I so appreciate that honesty, someone who is not going to bodge it to make a couple of dollars.  Come see Larry, he will look after you.

Sometimes it seems I spend half of my day sending people elsewhere (laughs) The people I refer people to in my opinion are quality people that do a good job. In your case the guy I sent you to is a old school guy like me. In my next life I want to be as good a stone setter as he is. Denis Quang over in Alameda on Park Street.

As a client, having a store like yours is amazing, to still have that service, and we have it Downtown in San Leandro, so thank you.

Allphin Jewelers

Fun Friday in San Leandro - The Historic Bal Theatre

San Leandro has a single screen theatre which plays host to old movies, comedy and much more.  I caught up with Dan Dillman to hear more about this unique venue, the entertainment and upcoming events.

How long has the Bal Theatre been around?

Since 1945.  In 1945 Rene T. LaMarre and George Drummond purchased the land, the Theatre opened July 3rd 1946

How long have you had the theatre?

Some would say forever (laughs) since 2008

I have been here a few times to some of the movie screenings, it's really good to see older films.  We came here to see Indiana  Jones, and to see it on the big screen is a real treat. What other movies do you think you will have coming up this year?

We are definitely planning to do Mary Poppins this year, The Princess Bride was something we did a few years ago, it was a really big hit.  We are thinking of having a free movie night as well so that it is open to everyone, it's not just about the money.  We need to make money to survive but we want to have a free event and say come on down and enjoy the experience, and hopefully come back for another show.

It's a real treat to have a single screen theatre, so many could not compete with the multiplex and have closed.  Somehow the Bal survived

I agree with you, even in San Leandro there were 3 or 4 of them, there was the Delmar that was downtown, there was the State and of course the BAL and another one.  Back in the 40's San Leandro was rich with theatre, rich with entertainment they had a race track it was really big and as you know theaters even though it is a single screen and a single stage you got some live entertainment before a show whether it was comedy or magic or something of that nature... then you got the movie. Then the multiplex came, really all you got was the movie and no disrespect to it but it was not the same.

When you see a movie at a single screen everyone watches the same movie you leave that theatre with everyone have seeing the same movie, you do not get that with the multiplex.  Someone is coming out of a horror and coming out of a kids movie, it's very different, not a shared experience.

Something that I try to tell my family and friends, like during Christmas time all are rushing to get things for each other what I have been trying to say the last couple of years is how about we have an experience together, how about we create a memory that we all share that is a unified memory of coming to the theatre and watching a show, seeing some comedy  or some music together and making it more of an experience. That's what I try to do here.  Have it be an experience.  It's not just about the movie, it's not just about the other entertainment.  It's the whole collectiveness of being together and get away from our phones and our iPads and have this experience.

You don't just do the movie night, you have film festivals here.  Speak a little on that.

I have some great friends/volunteers, people who are really into the vintage stuff.  Sci-Fi Bob is a good friend of mine he come through with vintage clips, film clips and even brings is 16mm projectors and spins a few things that people have not seen since the 40's, the 30's, 20's,  whatever it is.  From the 70's 80's movie clips, cartoon clips, really interesting cool stuff.  We may do a drawing before a movie starts.  We read off a ticket and someone may win a DVD or a T-shirt

You have Lord Blood Rah here sometimes.

Lord Blood Rah, we have had Mr. Lobo

Mistress Misery

Absolutely, and of course Jon Stanley has been here a couple of times.  We have done some really cool Sci-Fi and Horror stuff.  We have done classic films, we have even done a silent film night, Laurel and Hardy,  3 Stooges Night was really cool so just a variety of different stuff and then live music, concerts.  We have had great R and B acts we have had a wide variety of stuff . Sometimes we are packed, sold out 2 shows 750 people sitting in here, 750 people wrapped around the building down to Bancroft waiting to get in.  Really special.  Warms my heart , gets me excited  that so many people (at times) are enjoying themselves.

Moving completely away from the movies you have the live entertainment aspect and the charity events that go on.

Every year we do the standup for Davis comedy which is amazing, I think every year we have done it we have raised over fifty thousand dollars in one night.  We have had George Lopez. Brian Copeland does a really fabulous job at hosting and even grabbing some of the other local comedians.  We have had headliner like George Lopez, Dana Carvey, Louie Anderson it's amazing.  It's amazing to see the diversity of the people that come into the theatre, all walks of life, It's really a great sample of San Leandro I mean you have every demographic, every age range and they are all here sitting together and laughing together and raising money for great non profits like Davis Street.

What's your plan for the year any special acts that you know are coming this year?

There are some great tribute artists out there.  We are working on bring more tributes.  The Fleetwood Masks, the Beatles guys, a Journey Tribute band are coming.  Working on getting a Johnny Cash tribute show.  More R and B, also country artists.  Some other comedians, we have had Eddie Griffin.  Doing more, having more events. We are a counter based theatre so something is not necessarily happing every night or every weekend but what we hope is that this year we will be able to do more.  Ideally we would like to get to 4 or 5 nights a week to where not just San Leandro residents but the whole East bay  knows that they can come to the Bal Theatre.  Whether it be for comedy, classic film or for a live concert, or even a conference.  We are planning to do this year a kids show something that is children centric kind of like a Sesame Street Live.  I have a children's character called Tommy the Turtle that I have developed from years ago with sing-a-long cds, fully costume character. Back when I was first doing Tommy in the late 80's early 90's there was also the Dangerous Dinos who were from Castro Valley, I have gotten with Dennis and talked about bringing it all togther .  Then there is Lori and RJ, they used to be on channel 2 and they were the intermission between cartoons on Saturday morning. They were a big hit for a long time.  More fundraisers, more of everything, that's the hope.  We need people to show up too.  There are times where there is a handful of people in the theatre, there are other times that it is packed to the gills and I can't tell you what the rhyme or reason is that some folks don't come to certain things and they come to others.

What's the best way for people to find out what's going on and to follow you? Social media or

your website

The website is first and foremost .  Joining our email list, weekly we send out an eblast that says what's coming.  So that would be top.  Then Facebook, I know there is instagram and twitter and the Bal Theatre has those.  I am in the 40 plus crowd and we seem to be on facebook more and as you know we don't have a full blown staff.  This is a family operation, a family union, we do a lot, we wear many hats.

Excellent! Dan I love this place, it really is one of the treasures of San Leandro, Thank You