Kathy Weber - Downtown Alameda Business Association

Kathy Weber is the Executive Director of The Downtown Alameda Business Association

Host Scott Piehler talks with Kathy about DABA’s work in attracting new business to the Park Street area, advocating for existing business, and being the driving force behind beloved annual events like the Art & Wine Faire. Kathy also relates the challenges and rewards of starting as the Exec. Dir., just before the Covid shutdown.

Show note: This episode originally aired on KCSM-HD2 on Sunday, June 21, 2026

Full show archive for all past episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@TheAlamedaConnection

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:04

Good morning, and welcome to the Alameda Connection on KCSM HD2. I'm your host, Scott Behler. When you're a business association, you have three primary goals: attract new businesses to your district, advocate for those businesses already in your district, and bring customers to that district. By that measure, the Downtown Alameda Business Association has been an unqualified success. Just take a walk down Park Street and you'll see what I mean. My guest today is Kathy Weber, the Executive Director of the Downtown Alameda Business Association. One of the ways they bring the public to that business district is with great events like the Rock and Roll Beer Stroll and the annual Art and Wine Fair, which draws people to Alameda from all over the East Bay. That's Kathy Weber, Executive Director of the Downtown Alameda Business Association, my guest this morning on the Alameda Connection.

SPEAKER_00 1:02

Good morning, Scott. Thank you for inviting me to join you.

SPEAKER_02 1:05

My pleasure. First of all, let's start with what exactly is the Downtown Alameda Business Association and what defines downtown?

SPEAKER_00 1:13

The Downtown Alameda Business Association is an organization that at its core is there to support businesses and the merchants in downtown Alameda. The district itself starts at the Park Street Bridge and goes to San Jose, the street, not the city.

SPEAKER_01 1:34

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 1:35

Through there, it also will have areas such as Santa Clara, from Oak Street to Broadway and Central Avenue, same thing Oak Street to about Everett Street.

SPEAKER_01 1:49

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 1:50

That business footprint is what really makes up the downtown area.

SPEAKER_02 1:56

All right, a little background on you. Michigan Girl.

SPEAKER_00 1:59

You betcha.

SPEAKER_02 2:00

Yes. From what you're doing now to your background in education and whatnot, you have Northern Michigan for photography, Western Michigan for occupational therapy, and then advertising director.

SPEAKER_00 2:10

Correct.

SPEAKER_02 2:10

What happened?

SPEAKER_00 2:11

I was looking for a summer job. Okay. And this was at Bresnan Communications. It was in the golden days of cable. I had gone in to ask for a summer job. I had taken an advertising class and I was young and I was chalk full of enthusiasm. I brought in the portfolio that I had used from one of the classes I had taken. And I went in, I spoke with the general manager there. And he said, We'd love to hire you on. We're looking for somebody who's just kind of part-time and just kind of learning the ropes. And he said, That sounds perfect. And I was hired. And then the Monday that I started, he brought me into the office and he said, Turns out the fellow that you were going to be working with fell off a wagon. But we have every confidence that you can be our advertising director. Oh, golly. And you're how old at this point? I was 20. That's part of the excitement, is that you don't understand what is happening at that time. And I said, sure, of course I can do that. How hard could it be? And so this was when Cable was doing local ad insertion. Right. And so the idea was to sell local commercials inside the local ad breaks. And it was on MTV, TNT, CNN, and ESPN. That was my task to go out, sell the advertising space, and then write and produce and direct commercials. Oh wow. It was so new that there was a radio station that was right next door, and he introduced me to the radio salesperson.

SPEAKER_02 3:50

Oh, perfect.

SPEAKER_00 3:51

Alice told me that it's really just like selling radio except with pictures. And so that's how I started there.

SPEAKER_02 3:59

From 1999 to 2007, you're the director of Downtown Marquette, which is the home of Northern Michigan University. And uh, fun fact for this uh ex-New Englander, originally it was named Worcester, New Worcester after Worcester, Massachusetts. That's where Polar Seltzer comes from. How did that gig as the director of Downtown Marquette come about?

SPEAKER_00 4:18

I loved our downtown, and I really appreciated the small business owners, the friendship, the family relationship that downtowns hold, and the importance that it holds to members of the community. They were looking for somebody to help with their events, and I had been a room mother. It was probably one of my favorite roles that I've ever had. It was knowing some folks that were on the board in the businesses and saying, I would love to talk more about that position. And so as it turned out, they figured that I could probably take care of it.

SPEAKER_02 4:55

What's it like running a business association in a college town?

SPEAKER_00 4:58

It's really exciting. There's a lot of seasonality to it. At its core, the downtown was there primarily to serve and support the local residents. And having this influx of students brought in a lot of local color, flavor, excitement. You know, there was a certain vibe that you would get when school was in session with the students. Having a university brought in a lot of entertainment and music options. I so I think culturally it really enhanced the work that we were doing in the district. It was just fun.

SPEAKER_02 5:37

2008, suddenly you're in Venicia. What happened?

SPEAKER_00 5:39

You've heard of helicopter parents.

SPEAKER_02 5:42

Right.

SPEAKER_00 5:42

My husband and I are moving van parents. Our daughter graduated high school in 2007. Um, she had known that she had wanted to go to school in California. Um, I have a brother who lives in outside of San Diego.

SPEAKER_01 5:57

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 5:58

It was a regular trip to visit he and his family. And oftentimes we would fly into San Francisco and drive down the coast as part of the vacation. So our daughter knew that she wanted to go to school in California. And my husband, understanding that it would be really difficult for me to be across the country from her. She's an only child. We made the decision that we were going to move out and join her in California. She went to the Academy of Art University. When we first moved here, my husband had found a job nine months prior to her graduating. And so he had been working in Bakersfield. We were there for a short time. Our daughter had started school. She was living in and going to the school in San Francisco, and we would make trips up a couple times a month, maybe once a month, to visit. And it was on one of those trips up that my husband's boss called and asked if he would be interested in relocating to their San Leandro office.

SPEAKER_02 6:53

Ah, very good.

SPEAKER_00 6:54

That's how we landed here in Oakland. The road to Benisha was paved because a dear friend of ours had a shop in Benisha. Oftentimes, when we would get together, she would talk about the promotional part of a downtown district and what things you can do in a downtown that are fun and exciting. And so when I landed here, she said, there's a role at Benisha Main Street that would be perfect for you. And so I would commute to Benisha from Oakland.

SPEAKER_02 7:28

Then in 2010, you wind up as the corporate partnership and event manager for the Alameda County Community Food Bank. How did that come about?

SPEAKER_00 7:35

I think it was one of those sort of driven by fate. A friend of mine had had mentioned that there was a position opening up at Alameda County Community Food Bank. And so I took a look at it and I thought, well, it's closer, certainly. Right. And the work really spoke to me, the work that the food bank was doing and their mission. I was able to go to work and work there for about 10 years. And it was an amazing and fulfilling role and path and a very impactful. It's one of those basic human rights.

SPEAKER_02 8:12

You became executive director of Downtown Alameda Business Association in perhaps the most ill-time job change ever, March of 2020. I understand there was some national event going on.

SPEAKER_00 8:22

As it turns out, yes. And I started on March 9th of 2020. And a few days later, everything basically, the world just kind of shut down. And so the part that is that silver lining of it was the sense of community and the sense of support that came from that time was, I think, probably one of the blessings. And that working with a community that was in a city that was trying to figure out, okay, what do we do now?

SPEAKER_02 9:02

Um, we must have felt like you got hired as Diana Prince, but suddenly it was Wonder Woman time. That's tough stuff.

SPEAKER_00 9:08

It was. And also the camaraderie and the support that everybody, everybody was there to try to figure this out together. For most of us, it was our first global pandemic. And so we were just making the playbook up and trying to think of what we can do? How can we keep these businesses open? And at the time we had no idea how long this was going to last.

SPEAKER_02 9:34

Yeah, everybody's talking five weeks, six weeks, whatever. What initially attracted you to the job? Were you looking? Were they reaching out?

SPEAKER_00 9:41

Our home is in Jingletown in Oakland, just over the Park Street Bridge. And since we moved here, Alameda has been sort of the place that we did business. You'd walk there, you'd dine there, you shop there. This was part of our home. And so one of the things that I think had really served me and my husband is that the sense of community that we had from Alameda and especially downtown had been there for a long time. And you get to know the businesses, you get to know the business owners. The stars had aligned and there was an opportunity. If you're thinking that you might be interested in doing this kind of work again, now is the time. And so that's what precipitated that. And it was exciting and it was one of those great opportunities that I knew that I loved the community, I loved the work. I was fortunate enough to be able to step into the role, albeit at a time that, you know, my 30, 60, 90-day work plan went right out the window. But it was also a time for everybody to kind of look and find out what do we need to do? What do we need to do first? What can we do second? How can we work together so that everybody can be supported?

SPEAKER_02 11:01

My first lengthy visit to Alameda was in June of 21. And what I remember one of the things that we embraced immediately on that little five-week visit was the Alameda Avenue little parklet area next to the local coffee shop.

SPEAKER_00 11:17

This is brilliant. The willingness of the city leadership to say, okay, we're going to try parklets, which were this new thing. And it was just the ability to say, we're going to try this, we're going to see how it works, and then we'll fine-tune it as we go along. Initially, what people needed was space to be outside, to be socially distant. And what became of that was a place now for people to gather and become close and have a real sense of community. So I think the story of Alameda Avenue and how it came to pass and what it has become is another one of those silver linings.

SPEAKER_02 11:58

What is the downtown Alameda business pitch? If you've you're in the elevator, what's the elevator pitch?

SPEAKER_00 12:04

It depends on who you're talking to because there are so many things to pitch.

SPEAKER_01 12:09

Right.

SPEAKER_00 12:10

If you're talking to somebody who's looking to go someplace, you know, to open their business, you have a place that has a built-in support system. There's a dynamic and an exciting vibe in our downtown business district. You've got neighbors who are going to support you. You've got a community that's going to be behind you. And then if it's for somebody who's looking for something, you know, what up, what should we do in Alameda? Then you have that whole option of, you know, you can spend a day. What type of things do you like to do? What kind of things would you like to explore?

SPEAKER_02 12:45

What's it like when a fixkew lands on the national radar? We had Recca on the show and suddenly bang.

SPEAKER_00 12:52

Yeah. If only you could find those places and put them in every little nook and cranny. But I think what has happened is they brought this amazing energy. What's been really exciting is their desire to share not only their amazing food, but also understanding that they're having an impact, their appreciation of the community's support and the community's enthusiasm about this now renowned barbecue place in a little walk through a tiny hole in the wall almost. I think that's the part that is so authentic to who they are and also authentic to Alameda and the way that Alameda and the downtown has embraced them.

SPEAKER_02 13:43

Two days after we record this interview, something new, the downtown Alameda Farmers Market. And that's going to be Thursday nights through the summer, right?

SPEAKER_00 13:52

It'll be from 3 to 7 p.m. on Alameda Avenue. This is one of those things on our wish list. It's absolutely been a hope and a dream and a wish. We started last year during the summer with our Thursday at the Avenue series, which was bringing music and vendors and activity. It was really to try to manifest a farmer's market where the community can come together, where there can be that interaction between food and community, and you're running an errand and you can swing by the farmer's market. There's just a real excitement and a real enthusiasm from both the downtown businesses and I think the community at large.

SPEAKER_02 14:38

We're recording this right before the rock and roll beer stroll. That has been quite the popular event.

SPEAKER_00 14:44

The strolls started with a whiskey stroll a couple of years before I arrived. It had proved to be really fun and successful. And as things started opening up, these strolls were a great way for us to connect with the broader community to create some traction, some foot traffic from one location to another, making the connection, for example, with the beer stroll. We've got a deep local connection to the malt with Admiral Maltings, who's been a great help introducing us to brewers and breweries, and then making that wider reach. It's a way for folks who want to learn a little bit more about either whiskey or beer coming up in the fall. We're going to be having our inaugural tequila and mezcal stroll. We're trying different things, and I think the community has been really supportive of having these smaller events where you can kind of walk and stroll and sample and chat with the brewers, the distillers.

SPEAKER_02 15:48

And I do need to point out for people maybe listening, go, wow, I don't drink, in December, the cocoa stroll.

SPEAKER_00 15:54

It's the hot cocoa stroll. And that is an absolute delight. Um, it's part of our winter market, which happens to coincide with the holiday lighting at City Hall. And it really is a fun kickoff to the holiday season.

SPEAKER_02 16:14

You're barely going to have time to catch your breath from the rock and roll beer stroll. And then there's this little 4th of July parade coming up. That's got to be interesting logistics trying to coordinate because so much of it goes through your district and it goes all you know halfway across the island.

SPEAKER_00 16:27

The City of Alameda and the Wreck and Parks department are the ones who really head up and coordinate the Fourth of July parade. So we as a business district are just there to host and welcome and encourage all of the hard work that goes into creating this amazing parade.

SPEAKER_02 16:49

And then you get to do the big one, the Art and Wine Fair this year. And that's what are the dates this year?

SPEAKER_00 16:55

This year it's going to be July 25th and 26th. It's always the last full weekend in July.

SPEAKER_02 17:01

And that has become, I would argue, a regional event. That is massive.

SPEAKER_00 17:06

It is, again, an opportunity for us to welcome not only Alamedans, but folks from outside of the area. And the draw has been really exciting. There's lots of vendors. The footprint has changed a bit. We've added and expanded a local area. And it's called Authentically Alameda, where we have a local stage and we have local vendors who are able to come in and showcase their goods and food. And it really is such an exciting way for us to feature local wines, local beer, and invite the Bay Area to come in and visit and see how much fun Alameda really is.

SPEAKER_02 17:48

Is there ever a phone conversation that's between you and Elisa Glickman of West Alameda Business going, no, you can't do that this weekend because we got this?

SPEAKER_00 17:56

It really has become a larger conversation amongst a number of nonprofit organizations and other organizations is finding a time and a place where you can have these events because there's so many great causes. There's so many great events that are happening, so that they're not all happening at the same time. So having things that you know are going to be the last full weekend in July, it makes it easy for folks to calendar and and kind of decide when is a good time for us to host something.

SPEAKER_02 18:29

And this may be an odd question. We have downtown Alameda, we have West Alameda. Is there a time between the various organizations where you go, so a business may come in and you may say, you know, I don't think we have a fit for you, but over here, or something might get sent to you in in reciprocal.

SPEAKER_00 18:43

It's all about Alameda. For us, we're focusing on downtown, especially downtown. But that being said, there are times that, you know, folks are looking for a location. The better place for them and a better fit might be on the other side of the island. And I think working closely with the city, we've been really fortunate to have this effort and this focus on making sure that if a business is successful, wherever they're located is going to be successful. Everybody wins.

SPEAKER_02 19:15

We've talked about the public-facing events that you have. There's other aspects of what's going on in downtown Alameda. And one of those aspects is attracting new businesses. What's that process? What's involved in reaching out to a business and saying, you should set up shop here?

SPEAKER_00 19:30

We work closely with the city of Alameda's economic development department. You know, a lot of that recruitment comes with going and doing some one-on-one visits where you're you see a shop and you're thinking, this is great. Would you consider having a second location and finding out the ways that we can work to support new businesses coming in? And that process is it's it's an ongoing and kind of changing process. You want to make sure that you're providing enough support at the beginning so that you're getting a business that is going to be a great fit for the district. And that through their process, as they're going through the permitting process, is that they have a resource in the business district with our office and making those connections so that the process isn't as cumbersome. Oftentimes you're not getting here's a way to get to yes, but here's the person to work with to get there.

SPEAKER_02 20:32

May not be the guy, but we know the guy.

SPEAKER_00 20:34

We know the guy. We know a guy who knows guy or a gal. Yes.

SPEAKER_02 20:38

Exactly. Related to that, it's not just a matter of hi, welcome, goodbye. There's advocacy for the existing businesses. What's involved in that?

SPEAKER_00 20:46

The work that we're doing, it is about supporting our businesses. That changes from business to business. Oftentimes it might be, you know, if there's a permitting issue, we can help with that. If there's issues with promotion, we can offer some support and some guidance. We are there to offer that support and make those connections. There is an a tremendous resource in the business-to-business connection. It's remarkable to see how when a business is having a challenge in one area, oftentimes a neighboring business is able to say, Well, here's how I address it. Right. And so having that resource of the business owner community is something that I think is just so remarkable and special.

SPEAKER_02 21:37

What are the rewards and challenges of your work?

SPEAKER_00 21:41

When you are working with the business owners, you're able to provide them some assistance. The same is with the challenges is what can we do and how might we best support the district and the individual businesses and find a way for everybody to, you know, to kind of create that vibe that That everybody can thrive and and have that excitement. And that's I think our role is that when we're able to create an event and curate an experience for folks, we're able to bring the folks in and then the the individual businesses are able to invite them into their shops.

SPEAKER_02 22:22

You've just collected the Marvel Cinematic Universe Infinity Stones. You get to snap your fingers and alter reality. What does Park Street look like after you snapped your fingers?

SPEAKER_00 22:32

I think it will probably look in essence like it does now. There's a charm and a warmth to our downtown district. The streets will be paved, the sidewalks will be clean and tidy. Um we'll have lights strung from lamppost to lamppost. There'll be laughter and music spilling from the the restaurants. There'll be people walking along the streets with their arms laden with packages. It's just going to be similar to what it is now. I mean, there's there's just a warm and welcoming sense of community that people find in our downtown.

SPEAKER_02 23:13

What is one accomplishment of your time with downtown Alameda that you're trying to hang your hat on?

SPEAKER_00 23:19

You know, the thing that I'm so proud of is working with the team uh downtown Alameda and the businesses and the the our board of directors, you know, making it through from the time that I started through 2020. And now it's like, how do we come through that? How do we respond and evolve? And I think looking at things like our seasonal markets, where we have really kind of dialed in this authenticity to creating events that reflect the fun and the vibe that we want to have, but also I think, you know, just being able to have that sense of working together and inviting the community to come in. And the community support has been tremendous.

SPEAKER_02 24:07

What is one aspect of doing business in Alameda that you wish more people knew about?

SPEAKER_00 24:12

Some of the best stuff is that you are going to have a support system. There is help. But if you're finding that you you need some help or guidance, that it's there. I think the fact that you're in this community, you get the support from your neighbors or the folks that live here and work here. That's really the secret sauce to the success of businesses and doing business in Alameda is that there is a lot of support and a lot of encouragement. That's probably a real exciting part.

SPEAKER_02 24:47

Your website, downtownalameda.com, has one of my favorite hidden gems in all of Alameda websites. Under the explore tab, there is a self-guided history tour. What a fascinating little feature that is.

SPEAKER_00 25:00

It's one of those things that I inherited to be able to go and make your way through the downtown district, learn some of the history, find out some of the stories and tales that have happened here. It's a lot of fun. And it lets you go at your own pace.

SPEAKER_02 25:17

What is a business that in your mind might be missing from downtown? The one business, hey, if I could only get a this.

SPEAKER_00 25:24

I think what we'd love to see some more retail shops coming in, but also, you know, looking at how things have evolved, the experiential storefronts where things like subpar where you can go and play mini golf. Who would have thought that you know what you need you really want in your downtown is a mini golf place and it it brings in families. I mean, we're so fortunate we have the Alameda Theater.

SPEAKER_02 25:52

I am a movie nut, and that is one of my absolute favorite places I have ever seen a movie in my entire adult life.

SPEAKER_00 25:58

It really is a game changer for our district, bringing in that foot traffic. I think we just want more of what we have. We don't even know what it is that's gonna come in and be like, ah, that's what we needed all along.

SPEAKER_02 26:10

Who knew? What's your favorite thing to do in Alameda when you're off the clock?

SPEAKER_00 26:14

I enjoy walking through the district. My husband and I will stop and grab a beer at one of the many little spots where you can grab some refreshment or going out for a bite to eat. There's just so many things that you really do enjoy. And the people watching is a delight. Walking through the familiest friendliest block with Toy Safari and Rocket Reuse and Mommy's Trading Post and Lauren's Closet. It's all of the stuff. It's all it's all the good stuff that's there.

SPEAKER_02 26:47

I imagine you have conversations with business districts from other cities. What do they admire about Alameda?

SPEAKER_00 26:53

One of the things that is really key is the relationship that we have with the city of Alameda. That makes the work that we're doing that really does help with achieving goals and you know making things better and different.

SPEAKER_02 27:07

You've got company coming in from out of town. You have to take them to three meals. It can be breakfast, lunch, dinner, three dinners, it could be small bites and notches. What three restaurants with the understanding that there are 50 more? But what three restaurants are you going to?

SPEAKER_00 27:19

I would likely bookend the district and you'd have to walk. So you have to walk by all of the other things. Very good. We would start probably somewhere either in the middle. Obviously, Oli's Waffle House is, you know, kind of the go-to. But Homeskillet has a really delicious.

SPEAKER_02 27:39

Yeah, they got some stuff.

SPEAKER_00 27:40

They've got some stuff there. But then I would say you're you're gonna go to Dragon Rouge.

SPEAKER_02 27:46

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 27:47

And then you're also gonna go to the other end to Park Station.

SPEAKER_02 27:50

Oh, perfect.

SPEAKER_00 27:51

And where you get between those two will take you on a wonderful and delicious adventure.

SPEAKER_02 27:56

Uh websites, socials, ways people can keep up with what's going on with downtown Alameda.

SPEAKER_00 28:01

DowntownAlameda.com at downtown Alameda and hashtag downtownalameda. We're on Instagram and Facebook. To find out more about our strolls, we have alamedastastrolls.com.

SPEAKER_02 28:14

Kathy Weber, Executive Director of the Downtown Alameda Business Association. Thanks for spending time with us here on the Alameda Connection.

SPEAKER_00 28:20

Thank you, Scott. It's been a treat.

SPEAKER_02 28:22

Take care. Thanks again to Kathy Weber of the Downtown Alameda Business Association for joining us this morning on the Alameda Connection. To keep up with what's going on with Downtown Alameda, their website is downtownalameda.com. To find them on Facebook or Instagram, just search Downtown Alameda. As Kathy mentioned, they do have a website devoted to their strolls, and that is simply AlamedaStrolls.com. Don't forget to mark your calendar for Downtown Alameda's big event coming up July 25th and 26th, the annual Art and Wine Fair. Next week on the Alameda Connection, we're going off island, sort of, when my guest will be Aton Manhoff, the owner of Oakland's Cape Cowl Comics. What's the Alameda Connection? Once again this year, they're holding Cape Cowl Con, their comic and pop culture convention at Faction Brewing out on Alameda Point. I hope to see you Saturday, July 18th at Radio Day by the Bay at the California Historical Radio Society. Yours truly will be part of the cast of a reenactment of the Thin Man Radio Show. Thanks as always to the California Historical Radio Society for providing our location for this week's sit-down with Kathy Weber, and thanks to guitarist Bill Hart for our theme music. The song is called Beachside Isle, and it's from his album Watch the Sky. Don't forget you can head to BayAreaRadio.org and cast your vote for the Audiocaster of the Year. I'm Scott Peeler. I'll catch you next Sunday morning, 8 a.m., the Alameda Connection on KCSM HD 2.