Oakland totally has soul but it doesn't have as much Seoul as it thought.
Signs declaring the East Bay city's Korean connections are coming down along a 14-block stretch of Telegraph Avenue.
Residents tell the San Francisco Chronicle they were surprised when they banners go up along the busy, multi-ethnic cooridor saying “Oakland’s Got Seoul.” Residents complained the neighborhood's Korean population doesn't justify the placement of the signs especially considering the area is home to a slew of Ethiopians, Yemenis, Afghan, Asians, Hispanics and African Americans.
"Where did that come from?" Mohsin Sharif, the co-owner of the recently opened Oasis Middle Eastern Market, told the Chronicle.
The signs came from the wallet of the cash strapped city at the tune of $12,000. It will cost Oakland another $5,000 to take the signs down.
Neighborhood merchants will meet to come up with a more inclusive name in the coming weeks. We think the merchants should stick to Pill Hill since it works on numerous levels.
