J. Malnick
“Understand your customer and know that you can’t be all things to all people,” is Warren Malnick’s most important piece of advice. As the third generation to lead the successful retail business J. Malnick & Co, Mr. Malnick and his friendly, helpful sales team are still following his grandparent’s lead in taking excellent care of their customers.
J. Malnick is the oldest, independently owned women’s specialty store in Oakland. While customers have known J. Malnick as the place for hard-to-find items such as hats, furs, “go-to-church” suits and large sizes, the company is now reaching out to include a casual and career market that is not being met in Oakland.
Originally located in Oakland's Fruitvale district, J. Malnick recently moved to 19th and Broadway in Oakland's newly revitalized "Uptown" location. Mr. Malnick's first summer job as a 15-year old stock boy for Kushin’s Shoes was in the very same building.
OBDC Program Manager Megan Himan says “We were able to provide J. Malnick with a Broadway Corridor Loan, which is targeted at businesses and commercial property owners in the downtown Oakland area. J. Malnick is a terrific addition to the burgeoning Uptown area.”
In J. Malnick's monthly newsletter, Mr. Malnick writes, “my door is always open and I welcome ideas on how we can improve our service or merchandise assortment.”
For a terrific shopping experience, stop by J. Malnick at 19th and Broadway or visit the website at www.jmalnick.com. You can reach Warren Malnick at (510) 808-0311 or warren@jmalnick.com.
Jim and Luna Gitas started DataShred in March 1997 to provide on-site mobile record destruction completed at the client's site and plant-based shredding, which is done at DataShred's secure warehouse in Hayward. Their clients include residential and comercial customers with jobs ranging from shredding home-based business documents to destroying stamps for the post office. DataShred also destroys products such as computers and scrap electronics.
Jim's family has been in commercial record destruction since 1979. His mother started Sisca & Sons and was a pioneer in the firled, with the first truck in the country to provide portable pulping (turning paper into pulp). Jim has been in the business since he was nine, and according to his wife Luna, "it's in his blood."
In order to expand their business, DataShred needed to buy a state-of-the-art truck that would provide on-site shredding. OBDC was able to provide an Alameda County Revolving Loan which provides low-interest loans for businesses that divert waste from Alameda County landfill. Nearly everything that DataShred destroys is recycled, with 98% of its "waste" finding an endmarket. Mixed paper is one of the top three substances taking up space in landfills, so DataShred is helping to solve a big problem.
Jim says, "with OBDC's assistance, this truck has given us capabilities we only dreamed of and has helped us move our business to the next level." When asked what advice he has for other entrepreneurs, Jim says without hesitation, "know your market before you start. Conduct local market research, know your competitors, know what your customers need and set your price accordingly."
To reach DataShred, call (888) 767-7761 or visit their website at www.datashredinc.com.
As a general contractor, Eugene Anderson primarily handles residential contracts, although he also does some commercial remodeling. His work included bathrooms, room additions, decks, fencing, patios, floors, painting and drywalling. When Eugene established Airtight Construction in 1998, he fulfilled a lifelong dream of owning a business.
Eugene received a loan from OBDC's SBA Microloan Program, which provides loans up to $35,000 for businesses located outside of Oakland. Eugene used his loan from OBDC to acquire bonds and business insurance. Also, since some clients would not pay until the job was completed, the loan provided necessary working capital to pay the bills until his payments came in.
Eugene's words of wisdom for other entrepreneurs: "Having your own business is a challenge, but it can happen! Stay focused, and keep up with what's going on in the business world. Acquire business insurance, keep good records, and always work safely."
Airtight Construction can be reached at (707) 643-0215.