Town Love: New business highlights Oakland’s ‘heart and soul’

Two Oakland residents are launching a new venture to highlight small businesses, culture, and the diversity of their town.

Town Love, a new woman-owned business that officially launched Wednesday, hopes to change the narrative in Oakland and encourage people to experience what it’s “really” about.

“It was important that we had diverse founders,” Town Love co-founder Kim Bardakian said. “We wanted to make sure we truly represented Oakland.”

Vibrant boxes offered by Town Love are more than just a gift box. Bardakian said they offer a taste of Oakland’s heart and soul by putting small business and diversity on full display.

Bardakian, a public relations specialist, joined forces with graphic designer Nicole Vasgerdsian to launch Town Love. Their gift box acts as a travel guide highlighting local places to dine and visit.

It also includes tickets to an Oakland Roots game, coupons for local attractions, and fun facts about the town.

Bardakian said the goal is to have people authentically experience Oakland beyond the headlines.

“We were a little bit tired of all the rhetoric of everything going on in Oakland,” Bardakian said. “We know things aren’t perfect. It is certainly on the up swing, but we wanted to combine our talents together and put something together to showcase what we know and love about Oakland.”

For “That’s My Jam” owner MarQuita Pettis, who is featured as one of the businesses, it is about representation and changing the narrative.

“I think there are a lot of narratives about Oakland and some of them are not so great,” Pettis said. “But there are a lot of us with heart, and passion, and skills. We are out here creating businesses and doing great things.”

Pettis hopes the spread of positivity will help small businesses like hers continue to grow and inspire others.

“I’m entering into an industry where you don’t see a lot of Black women displayed,” Pettis said. “So, being able to be a representation of what we can do and kind of pass on our family traditions, that makes me very proud.”

Town Love gift boxes are being sold exclusively at Pelago in Montclair, and online for holiday presale orders. They are a taste of Oakland Bardakian hopes will fill Oaklanders and visitors up with a desire to invest and fall in love with the town too.

“Not only do we want to taste Oakland, to learn about Oakland, the third is we want you to experience it,” Bardakian said.