10/26/2022
Dear community,
It is with a sad heart that I'm sharing the closure of The Well. When we opened our doors four years ago I could not have imagined the journey that this business would take me on. I am so grateful for the community and team members who have shown up time and time again with care and commitment to our beautiful pocket of North Oakland. It feels like yesterday that we had our grand opening party with hundreds of people all sharing laughs, food, drinks, and great times. Since then, we've served thousands of meals to the community, hosted regular open mics and music shows, put on countless workshops, and built up an amazing herbal apothecary line.
It's been a true honor to be a part of the Oakland community. Throughout COVID we've stayed open every single day (with the exception of Thanksgiving), and it's been a joy to see regulars come in day after day and year after year. And yet, the reality is that the costs of running an independently-owned business are increasing across the board. In spite of the rising costs, we have remained dedicated to sourcing local, organic ingredients whenever possible and paying employees higher than average wages. Unfortunately, the costs of doing business have become unsustainable. I have made the difficult decision to close The Well for the time being. We need time to reassess the business and either develop a more sustainable business model or pass the business off to someone who wants to bring their own vision to the space. If this may be you, please reach out to me at [email protected].
If you'd like to support our current team members in this transition, you can donate to this GoFundMe - https://gofund.me/c279cbcc. 100% of donations will go directly to the existing team members. Our last day open will be Thursday, November 3rd. We hope to see you this week and make your favorite smoothie, bowl, or sweet treat for you.
Thank you again for your role in The Well. It truly takes a community to keep businesses local and rooted in place. I hope that our doors will reopen in the near future, whether a different iteration of The Well or another community-centered business.
With endless gratitude,
Anwen
