Well, here we go again, tiptoeing into the holidays with cancelled plans and mounting anxiety. It’s similar to last year, but also different; we didn’t see this twist until it was upon us, diminished in power, but swifter and seemingly unavoidable. Approaching our third year of pandemic feels more like a mental game than a physical one. In many ways, we know what we’re dealing with, but we haven’t managed to gain the upper hand, and we’re starting to understand that no country is an island; if any are still at risk, then we are all endangered.

Two days ago, with heavy hearts, we suspended service at the Oakland Yard tasting bar. News of breakthrough cases in our community and local businesses, and our desire to keep our customers and employees safe and healthy, drove our decision, and we hope to resume bar service in the beginning of January - stay tuned. The store remains open for bottle sales, face coverings required for all, and we continue to take precautions to maintain a safe space.

There is no going back to the way it was before, but we can still carry on with love and hope and laughter. These are not yet things of the past, and they can be relied on, along with science and sympathy, to ease our path forward. Bitterness and worry will only grind us back to dust. Let’s remember the unexpected joys of the last two years and look ahead with some degree of lightness. As the great pianist and composer, Eubie Blake, said: “Be grateful for luck. Pay the thunder no mind - listen to the birds. And don't hate nobody.”

Oakland Yard will be open today from 11am to 9pm, and tomorrow, Christmas Eve, from 11am to 6pm. We’ll be closed on Christmas Day, but open Sunday the 26th from 12 noon to 8pm. Thank you for your continued support. We’ve really enjoyed catching up with our regular customers in the shop this holiday season as well as meeting newcomers to the store and the neighborhood, and we wish you all a peaceful and joyful end to 2021 and a happy, healthy, prosperous new year!

With love,
Max