Aburaya is a restaurant inspired by punk rock and a mission to provide affordable Japanese cuisine, such as the fried chicken and more to the local community. Originally, Aburaya started as a pop-up, but settled in a more permanent location on Oakland’s 17th St after popular demand for the chicken and other dishes. They are…
Bootstrap Kombucha, located in San Diego, is a company that brews real kombucha. They business started to operate in May 2016. James, U.S. Coast Guard veteran, knew he wanted his next entrepreneurial endeavor to be centered around kombucha, and he also wanted to open a business in which his family can work together. Bootstrap Kombucha…
Growing up, David Benton, the owner of Sugarsweet Cookie and Cake Studio, was not exposed to baking. He went on to California Culinary School to become a chef. During his studies there, he took an introductory baking class and immediately fell in love with it. After the 2008 recession, he lost his job and started…
Nido opened on Oak Street in Oakland, and since then, more small businesses have opened in the Jack London Square area. When you visit their space, you get great cocktails, incredible plates of food, and a welcoming and fun ambiance. “Cory McCollow and his wife Silvia used their loan to open the doors to…
The Philoglots is a new business that opened in October 2016. Josee and her husband Gregory connected with Veteran Launch during the startup phase of their business. Her husband and partner at the Philoglots served in the Gulf War when he was 18 years old. “My experience with Veteran Launch was awesome. I had…
Vita is a boutique fitness studio specializing in yoga, pilates, and barre. They offer classes that range from gentle to power to intense cardio. Vita is a great place to pursue your fitness goals and build community. Katy Winter opened Vita in 2017 after changing careers. “I was working in finance, but I knew…
Monetta White and David Lawrence are the owners of Black Bark BBQ. Black Bark BBQ is a quick serve barbecue restaurant in San Francisco’s Fillmore District. They offer Texas-style BBQ that emphases good quality, excellent service, affordable prices, and comfort food. Black Bark BBQ is known for their brisket, and in fact their restaurant is…
In 2017 Chris and Maurion joined Main Street Launch’s Entrepreneur in Residence program to grow their knowledge and expertise on the business part of their business. “We jumped in head first when we opened the store, learning the ins and outs as we went. Now we have a better understanding about why things work…
In 2004 Chef Ron’s Pastries started like many business: doing small orders here and there for family and friends. In 2015 brother and sister Ron and Rhonda Persons officially launched Chef Ron’s Pastries when an opportunity to work with the Golden State Warriors came to them. Since then, the business has been steadily growing, all…
Freedom Makers provides virtual assistant services to small business owners, with the services performed by military spouses. Freedom Makers is providing exceptional service to two audiences: business owners who need help managing their bookkeeping, marketing, and client communications (and more!) and military spouses who lack other work opportunities that are as mobile as they are.…