Sam Worth, the owner of Hooper Vintage Skateboards and Chocolates, said that after a few months it was too difficult to pay the rent for the 21,000 square foot building that formerly housed a chocolate shop.

In early 2011,Worth signed a lease to rent the long-vacant Hooper’s Chocolate Shop on Telegraph Avenue in North Oakland. It had everything he was looking for: a great location, tons of space, and a unique interior. But despite his best efforts, the store was plagued with financial difficulties.

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Rock Paper Scissors

Art can come in a variety of forms—paint carefully brushed onto a sheet of canvas or pencil marks thoughtfully scrawled onto a piece of sketch paper. Then there are the less conventional art forms. Skateboards, for example. Or a pair of sneakers. Or knuckle tattoos.

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