Get a bonus with gift cards to Oakland small businesses

The Oakland Business Improvement District (OBID) is making a push to sell 3,000 gift cards this winter to help Oakland small businesses.

The Shop2Help Oakland Gift Card Program, which launched in early October, offers a 40 percent bonus incentive. For instance, spend $25 and get a $35 gift card at the 20 participating Oakland businesses. 

Popular eateries Fuel and Fuddle, CHiKN, Milk Shake Factory, Stack’d Burgers & Beer, and Pamela’s top the list of the most sought-after gift cards, according to OBID. Other participants include Dave & Andy’s, Prince of India, and Atarashi (formerly Sushi Fuku) and retail shops like Maggie & Stella’s, The Pitt Shop, and University Store. New businesses are being added to the program each month, including Mario’s Oakland Saloon, Jolina’s 2 Mediterranean Cuisine, and Puccini Hair Design most recently added. A complete list can be found at https://shop2help.org/

All proceeds from gift card sales go directly to helping the participating small businesses, which have been hard hit during the pandemic. 

All participating businesses have also agreed to designate a portion of every sale to secure a donation of 25 meals to the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. “To date, program sales have generated over 15,500 donated meals and counting,” Georgia Petropoulos, OBID executive director, said in a news release.

The program is made possible in part through a $160,000 grant from the Richard King Mellon Foundation awarded to OBID in July 2020 to fund a multi-prong effort to help Oakland businesses negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.