Small Businesses in Temescal to Support This Holiday Season

Once the holidays roll around, Telegraph Avenue fills up with shoppers hunting for something special: gifts with personality that you won’t find on a big-box shelf. That’s why the crew at 4801 Shattuck has put together our own list of small businesses in Temescal. 

Think hand-tended houseplants, vintage finds, pup pampering, and a few sweet stops for a bite along the way. Your shopping trip gets a lot cozier, and the owners next door get to keep doing what they love. It’s a win-win for the season, so here’s where to start. 

Gifts & Specialty Shops

For a strong start, these top picks will help you cross more than a couple of names off your list. 

Crimson Horticultural Rarities

Shopping for a plant lover? Crimson Horticultural Rarities has you wrapped (in vines). The shop is filled with rare houseplants, handmade pottery, and botanical goodies like bar soap. Pair a leafy pick with a planter to match, and your gift will keep growing strong long after the holidays.

Womb House Books

Got any bookworms in the group? Over in Temescal Alley, Womb House Books stocks new and vintage titles, including first editions that make a standout gift. It’s run by a small, ink-savvy team, so ask for a recommendation and they’ll help you land the right pick. Can’t decide on a title? Grab a gift card and let your page-turner choose their next obsession.

Mira Flores

Just a few doors down in Temescal Alley, Mira Flores has vintage finds, handmade goods from local makers, and its own Oakland-designed workwear. The in-house tailors also do chain-stitch embroidery, so a name or design stitched onto a jacket can turn into a tailor-made present. Ask about turnaround times early, since custom orders take a little longer to put together. 

Contact Records

Know a music lover who’s tough to shop for? Head to Contact Records, where the two musicians behind the counter stock everything from household-name hits to hard-to-find B-sides. Tell them what your giftee spins on repeat, and they’ll point you in the right direction. Not sure what they’re into? A gift certificate lets the recipient do the digging. 

Coffee & Local Treats

All that shopping works up an appetite, so be sure to refuel with a warm drink or a sweet treat between stops. 

Nomad Cafe

Head up Shattuck Avenue to Nomad Cafe, where a matcha latte or Vietnamese iced coffee pairs nicely with one of their banh mi sandwiches. Big windows and plenty of seating make it an easy spot to warm up and regroup. 

Curbside Creamery

Is your sweet tooth requesting immediate attention? Then head back toward the alley for Curbside Creamery. They scoop cashew and coconut-based vegan ice cream alongside classic dairy flavors, so it’s an easy crowd-pleaser. Open daily from noon to 10 PM, it’s the perfect reward after an afternoon of hard work (shopping). 

Dining & Evening Drinks

Once the bags are full, cap off the day with a hearty meal or a glass of wine. You’ve earned it! 

Snail Bar

Just up Shattuck Avenue, Snail Bar serves fine wine alongside a seasonal menu, a cozy pick for a chilly winter evening. Grab a table for a holiday toast with friends, or pick up a bottle on your way out. Still need a gift for the resident wine lover? Their gift cards have you covered. 

Shop Local Every Sunday

Prefer browsing open-air stalls in one spot? Save a weekend morning for this one. 

Temescal Farmers Market

From 9 AM to 1 PM, the Temescal Farmers Market takes over the North Oakland DMV lot at 5300 Claremont Avenue with local growers, bakers, and food makers. Fill a tote with seasonal produce, fresh bread, and a special treat for all your foodies. It runs year-round, rain or shine, and a mobile knife sharpener usually comes by twice a month, which comes in handy before the holiday cooking begins. 

Bring the Season Home to 4801 Shattuck

Supporting small businesses in Temescal means your gifts come with a story and support your community. Once the wrapping’s done, bring that bottle you saved for yourself up to the rooftop deck, pull up a chair by the fire pit, and take in the views of the Oakland Hills. Looking for apartments in Oakland, CA, with the best of Temescal minutes from home? Contact our leasing team to schedule a tour.