Iconic Black-owned Oakland restaurant targeted in another vandalism

OAKLAND, Calif. (KRON) — Everett and Jones Barbecue, a well-known Black-owned restaurant in Oakland, was broken into early Saturday morning, marking the fifth such incident since 2023.

The break-in occurred at around 4 a.m. when three masked men smashed their way into the restaurant on MacArthur Boulevard. Despite causing significant damage, the suspects left empty-handed, finding no cash in the register.

“They did more damage than what they got. They didn’t get anything,” said Nena Moore, co-owner of Everett and Jones Barbecue. “And it’s frustrating because we can’t sleep at night — it keeps happening.”

Once inside, the suspects jumped over the counter and broke into the cash register, only to find it empty. They fled the scene in a black SUV, leaving behind job applications that were inside the cash drawer.

The family expressed their disappointment, wishing the suspects had sought help instead. “Yea… get a job. We’re hiring!” Moore said when asked if she had a message for the thieves.

Cathy Adams, President of the Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce, noted that such incidents are part of a larger issue affecting small businesses in the area. “Every time you rob somebody, you’re making people not want to stay in business,” she said.

Customers of Everett and Jones Barbecue echoed the sentiment, emphasizing the restaurant’s importance to the community. “I just really love this place — I come here a lot,” one customer said.

The Oakland Police Department responded quickly to the break-in, but no arrests have been made yet. The family hopes for justice and a safer future for their business.

Despite the repeated break-ins, the family behind Everett and Jones Barbecue remains committed to staying in Oakland, though they are calling for increased police patrols and surveillance to protect local businesses.

Watch the full report from KRON4’s Michael Thomas in the video player above.

All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by KRON4. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by KRON4 staff before being published.