News about great shops in your neighborhood

News about great shops in your neighborhood

Do-Good Doodads

If you’re looking for a unique gift that shows you care, look no further than re4m, a shop in the Montclair district of Oakland that focuses on recycled, repurposed, local, and fair trade products. With bamboo floors and lots of light, owners Lisa Tana and Ashesh Patel have created a pleasant space in which to examine every unusual object and read about their makers. From colorful, Zulu-made telephone-wire bowls to soda-can pull-tab covered purses to hand-painted tea-bag canvas coasters, it’s hard not to marvel at everything. Some items are noteworthy for their construction materials, like the surprisingly soft stuffed animals made from recycled bottles. Others, like the pull-tab purses, have a deeper story behind them. Designed in San Francisco and Brazil by Escama Studio, the bags are hand-crocheted in Brazil. The artisans are paid fair prices and Escama pays for their computer classes, helps them open bank accounts, and gives them raw materials to build their businesses. If pull-tabs aren’t your style, re4m also offers bags made from car upholstery, rubber, and repurposed shade cloth. If you want to impress any kids you know, you’ll find toy trucks made of wood-plastic composite and paper made from elephant poo. Yeah, that’s right, poo. Prices range from $2.75 for recycled paper pencils to $600 for a very cool copper lamp.

re4m, 2054 Mountain Blvd., Oakland, (510) 339-7346; re4mreform.com.

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Volvo Values

During the Vietnam War, according to Bruce Ackerman, owner of Ackerman’s Servicing Volvos in Berkeley, Volvos were popular with peaceniks, as the sturdy imports were manufactured in war-neutral Sweden. The legacy of that era lives on today in the streets of the East Bay—and at Ackerman’s socially conscious auto-repair shop, which he opened in 1983. Five percent of each customer’s bill is donated to Bay Area schools—a goodwill gesture that added up, last year, to more than $10,000. And as the first certified green auto repair facility in Berkeley, Ackerman’s makes a point of conserving water, minimizing waste, and keeping energy consumption low. Shop staff clean auto parts in warm water with special microbes that actually eat the grease off the parts instead of using harmful chemicals. Ackerman laughs at the suggestion that little smiling furry creatures are nibbling at the engine parts. But the more you know about Ackerman’s—where the waiting room features Peet’s coffee, tropical fish, and orchids grown by a staff member—the more you can imagine a place where the technicians whistle while they work. After years of working exclusively on Volvos, Ackerman’s technicians are now working on their customers’ other vehicles, as well. “There’s already a trust built up,” says Ackerman, who likes the idea that his customers won’t have to think twice about where to bring their second cars.

Ackerman’s Servicing Volvos, 2220 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley, (510) 549-9330; ackermanservicingvolvo.com.

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Berkeley to Botswana

There’s just no substitute for wheels when life essentials (jobs, food supplies, health care) are located far from your home. Hence the Africa Bike Drive, a culture-bridging effort launched by Matt Adams and Ken Martin, the moving forces behind Mike’s Bikes, the well-known Northern California chain. Since 2008, the bikery has not only shipped hundreds of donated bicycles to Africa, but also launched a sister store in Botswana, teaching local residents basic business practices, how to deal with distributors—and, of course, the fine art of bike repair. The bikes are sold at fair prices to Botswanans, with profits reinvested to buy more bikes and supplies. Recently, Mike’s opened a second outpost in Namibia. You can follow their efforts—and find out how to donate your own used two-wheeler (it’s tax deductible)—at mikesbikesafrica.com.

Mike’s Bikes, 2161 University Ave., Berkeley, (510) 845-2453; mikesbikes.com.

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Designer Duds

The only birds you’ll find at the magpie in the Montclair district of Oakland are on the store’s T-shirts. However, if you’re looking for hip designer clothes, shoes, or even skateboards, you’ve come to the right place—the venue is really two stores in one, says owner Kevin Benafield. The front two-thirds of the store are devoted to high-end fashion for women and men, offering “apparel lines you’d otherwise need to go to San Francisco or Nordstrom to get,” Benafield says. Instead, the stylish folk of the East Bay can shop locally and still find elusive brands like Cohesive, Michael Stars, and Twisted Heart. The back third of the store is really a small skate shop. Skateboards, helmets, and replacement wheels are just a few of the offerings for local half-pipe fans. Prices range from $1 for a skate sticker to $185 for a pair of designer jeans. And if there was any doubt about the boutique’s skate cred, or Benafield’s commitment to the community, he dispelled it when he recently brought in professional skaters for the Teen Power Project, a program organized by the Montclair Recreation Center intended to give local youth a safe environment with age-appropriate activities after school. With over 500 friends on Facebook and growing since that event, the shopping haven’s hip factor is bursting at its designer seams.

the magpie, 6122 La Salle Ave., Oakland, (510) 339-6246; magpiemontclair.com.

Faces of the East Bay