Jessica Moncada-Konte’s family has been in the Bay Area for generations, including her father’s work with local hip-hop acts and her stepmother’s Owl N Wood clothing store. After doing some soul-searching, Moncada-Konte is ready to put her own mark on the Oakland business scene by opening her very own bottle shop. 

Proof – Oakland Bottle Shop, will actually open its doors at the same location where Owl N Wood was once located before moving to Old Oakland. When it opens, Moncada-Konte hopes that it will build a long-lasting relationship with members of the community.

“I want Proof to be approachable and not intimidating,” Moncada-Konte told KQED Food. “I want to be able to recognize the folks who walk in.”

Once it opens, Proof will sell products ranging from $10 to $300 and host wine tastings, workshops and other local events.

Moncada-Konte is fully aware of the significance of opening a business in Oakland during a period of real estate growth.

“We definitely need a lot more Black-owned businesses in Downtown Oakland, especially with this surge that’s happening,” she told East Bay Express.

With only 10 days left to go, Moncada-Konte has raised more than $17,000 of her $45,000 goal on Kickstarter, where she hopes the community can help raise a third of the funding needed to help get things started.

Photo Courtesy: Neil Roche

Author

  • Keith Reid-Cleveland is a proud product of Chicago's Southside and the Missouri School of Journalism. The Black Youth Project News Editor has written about politics, race and entertainment for multiple publications, such as Uproxx, The Undefeated, Black Nerd Problems, Comic Book Resources and more.