A (Rather LONG) Message from Shirin and DAniel
We are thrilled to be on the cover of the latest issue of East Bay Magazine, a publication with an unwavering focus on the positive, innovative, creative and exciting people, places and things that are happening in Oakland, Berkeley and the wider East Bay Area. And we can’t think of two better words to describe our approach to hospitality (and life, frankly) than “Music & Heart”.
It is a much-needed reminder of why we do this. After five (plus) long years of grinding our way through this new post-pandemic reality, the joy can be elusive amidst the constant struggle to stay afloat. As most of us are all-too-aware, Oakland’s recovery has been painfully slow. But despite the MANY serious problems that we face as a city and the nearly insurmountable costs of running a small business in this era, we still have hope.
We remain steadfast in our commitment to operate inclusive spaces built around the transcendent, connective powers of music and community. We will continue to fight for the beautiful people of this beautiful place that we are proud to call home. But tomorrow is not guaranteed.
Over the past few years, we have spent countless hours and energy working alongside our fellow small business owners, City of Oakland department leads, local organizations and neighborhood-anchoring performance venues like The Fox and Paramount to create positive change and revitalize Uptown/Downtown. We have collectively put forth real-world solutions for visible, incremental changes and a longer term vision of what a healthy and thriving Arts and Entertainment District can and should look like. But despite the progress made, our efforts have been disrupted by a prolonged period of leadership transitions at the city level, a persistently negative media narrative about Oakland that exploited the very real safety challenges that we (and many other major cities) have dealt with in the wake of the pandemic, and fundamental changes to our social fabric brought on by remote work and broader cultural/generational shifts. It has been heartbreaking to see so many beloved spaces shutter over these past few years due to this instability, resulting in a vicious cycle of stubborn vacancies resulting in high levels of blight and desolation.
A very large part of why we opened Gold Palm was to play a small role in countering all that; to revitalize this beautiful and important part of Oakland, which is still home to so much incredible music, art and nightlife. In six years of operating Bar Shiru, we have yet to turn a profit, so we knew it would be tough. We knew there were many problems to be solved. And we knew that this industry, especially when food is involved, is not for the faint of heart. But with our eyes wide open, we still had faith that the worst was behind us and we could build a sustainable business that created good, stable jobs and provided another safe, inclusive and joyful space for this community.
However, like many of our fellow small business owners, we continue to struggle financially. While we are grateful to be busy at times and it may seem like we’re doing fine, the reality is that most of us are operating week-to-week. One off weekend or a few bad days can really take you to the brink. We are methodically whittling away at a mountain of pandemic debt at Shiru and start-up related debt at Gold Palm, while simultaneously dealing with astronomical increases to insurance premiums and utility bills across the board, all while foot traffic remains sparse and revenues fall short. As individuals, we are not oblivious to the tone and tenor of the country right now, largely being wrought by an out-of-control, tyrannical federal government, a rightward shift away from real progressive ideals and the results of decades of hyper-Capitalism and systemic oppression that have deliberately created more and more inequality in each passing year.
The endless attacks being waged on our fundamental rights and the most vulnerable people in our communities; the self-inflicted economic turbulence; the humanitarian horrors unfolding around the globe being streamed directly to our phones; and the existential crises of climate change. These things, amongst everything else, create fear, angst, anxiety and isolation. But this is what they want.
And this is a huge part of why we keep going, why we work so hard to stay in business and why we’ve prioritized the well being of these establishments above all else in our lives, because we know that safe spaces where we can find joy, comfort and togetherness are so critical right now. We need places to connect with each other and re-connect with our shared sense of humanity. We need places where we can converse and commiserate. We need places where we can just be ourselves.
We are beyond grateful to everyone who is a part of this community, who comes to spend their hard-earned money and time at our establishments. We did not build this alone, and we certainly could not have survived the last few years without the support of every single person who has walked through the doors of Bar Shiru, Gold Palm and Moonglow. You are the reason we’re still standing. We also know that, given the current state of things, there are so many causes, businesses, families and communities that are in dire need of direct support, so we do not take any of this lightly.
We know that the support of this community is earned, not given. No business owners, including us, are entitled to success. With that said, we are facing an uncertain future and our efforts to recover and rebuild require resources beyond what we have, or can achieve in this current landscape. We’ve thus decided to take a step we have hesitated to take until now and humbly ask for some extra help.
The biggest impact you can have is to visit us in person. Come in for happy hour. Stop by Gold Palm for some food and a cocktail. Bring some friends to check out Moonglow. Plan a date at Bar Shiru. Book a group outing. Make a night of it and hop around to the many other amazing bars and restaurants in the neighborhood. Just being out and walking around can have an outsized positive impact on the neighborhood, making it feel vibrant and safe. Plus, being together and connecting with others is what community is all about! It builds empathy, it strengthens the social fabric and it gives Oakland a bustling “real city” feel that many of us crave. And we would all love to see you.
In order to try and raise funds to fill the ongoing revenue gaps and get ourselves on solid financial ground, we’re also holding a Summer Raffle with a bunch of fun prizes! Every $20 gets you one entry, with bonus entries for all contributions of $100 or more. We’ll be announcing the winners on Friday July 25th.
Full list of prizes below and link to enter: https://square.link/u/yR58ZZBp
Last but not least, stay safe and we love you.
In community, music and heart,
Daniel & Shirin
Raffle Prizes!
We are grateful for support in any amount. To enter the raffle, a $20 min donation is required. You get one entry per $20 donated. You get 1 bonus entry for donations of $100 or more, plus 5 bonus entries for $500 or more.
One prize per person. Must be 21+ to receive your prize. Winners announced 7/25. Valid email address required to claim your prize.
GRAND PRIZE: A bottle of Yamazaki ‘Spanish Oak’ Japanese Whisky, 2022 Edition for you and your friends to enjoy in the Bar Shiru mezzanine.This is an extremely rare, limited edition whisky from our private reserve, which has a current retail value of $2700!
A $150 food and beverage tab on your next visit to Gold Palm (including tax).
Two tickets to the monthly Bar Shiru Silent Sunday for the rest of 2025, which happens on the 2nd Sunday of every month (excluding holidays and special events).
A Moonglow Cocktail Club membership for the remainder of the season, valued at $199. Details here.
A membership card to the next season of the Bar Shiru Whisky Club, which runs from July 15th to December 15th, valued at $450.