Bring Your Business
to Antioch
Looking for a Bay Area city where you can start a business or grow one? The East Bay city of Antioch just might be the place to do it. Antioch keeps the California dream of building your own business alive in the heart of East Contra Costa County. The business-friendly city government partners with businesses and entrepreneurs, providing the support they need for future growth. Antioch has the available, affordable real estate businesses, large and small, need to flourish. Opportunities in Antioch abound for a spectrum of entrepreneurial success.
Antioch is known for its business-friendly climate, making it easy for businesses to establish themselves in the city. Antioch’s Economic Development Department staff communicates openly and honestly with business owners and entrepreneurs to make the process of starting a business in the city seamless.
Director of Antioch’s Economic Development Department, Kwame Reed says, “In Antioch, you can do more with less. Because Antioch's city staff are focused on helping businesses of every size succeed here, you'll experience less hassle and more support.”
By StoryStudio on December 14, 2022 11:19 AM
For an entrepreneur or business relocating to a new city, receiving support from the city government is crucial. Venture capitalist entrepreneur Sean McCauley invests directly in the people and businesses of Antioch because of the support he receives from city leadership.
“Antioch has boots on the ground waiting to help and put a new entrepreneur in that spot in their city. You get answers quickly. You get real people talking to you about what they need to do to get your business open,” says McCauley.
McCauley started his career building a pest control business and now mentors and invests in local entrepreneurs. When his projects profit, he reinvests in real estate to revitalize parts of Antioch, like the scenic downtown area along the waterfront known as Rivertown. It’s an all-around win. McCauley envisions the opportunity for investing in real estate and helping talented entrepreneurs start their businesses in up-and-coming areas.
“We opened the two largest waterfront restaurants in the region in Antioch with over 25,000 square feet of waterfront restaurant producing over $1 million a month in revenue, bringing thousands of people to the waterfront every month,” says McCauley. “If that’s not a head start for other things coming along the pipeline for investors to see, then I don’t know what would be.”
Solo entrepreneurs also find opportunities in Antioch to start and grow their businesses. Youth fitness trainer Marcus Malu began training youth athletes at a park and transitioned to a brick-and-mortar gym inside Antioch’s Somersville Towne Center mall. As an immigrant, Malu faced challenges starting his business, but his faith helped him overcome them to share his hope and success with the rest of the community. After his kids outperformed others on the field during games, Malu Fitness enrollment skyrocketed.
Antioch is equipped to welcome businesses of all sizes to town, with a wide range of available storefronts for lease, 400 acres of land to support light to medium commercial development, and land parcels for heavy industrial. Reed stresses the unique opportunities business will find in the city, including land availability.
“Because Antioch is not fully built out, you'll find more kinds of spaces and places to launch your venture—and they're likely to cost less to launch—than just about anywhere else in the Bay Area,” says Reed.
Land availability drew fourth-generation family-owned woman-operated Bay Area wholesale beverage distributor Markstein Sales Company to Antioch. “Our company has existed all over the Bay Area,” says Laura Markstein, owner and general manager. “For many years, we were operating out of Pittsburgh, and we realized we outgrew our space, and we really needed a bigger footprint to be successful and efficient.”
Markstein Sales Company’s Antioch warehouse totals 126,000 square feet, with plenty of room on 14 acres for additional expansion. After a few meetings with Antioch city management, Markstein was convinced Antioch was the place to move her business.
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For an entrepreneur or business relocating to a new city, receiving support from the city government is crucial. Venture capitalist entrepreneur Sean McCauley invests directly in the people and businesses of Antioch because of the support he receives from city leadership.
“Antioch has boots on the ground waiting to help and put a new entrepreneur in that spot in their city. You get answers quickly. You get real people talking to you about what they need to do to get your business open,” says McCauley.
McCauley started his career building a pest control business and now mentors and invests in local entrepreneurs. When his projects profit, he reinvests in real estate to revitalize parts of Antioch, like the scenic downtown area along the waterfront known as Rivertown. It’s an all-around win. McCauley envisions the opportunity for investing in real estate and helping talented entrepreneurs start their businesses in up-and-coming areas.
“We opened the two largest waterfront restaurants in the region in Antioch with over 25,000 square feet of waterfront restaurant producing over $1 million a month in revenue, bringing thousands of people to the waterfront every month,” says McCauley. “If that’s not a head start for other things coming along the pipeline for investors to see, then I don’t know what would be.”
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“We’ve had conversations with other cities that were challenging, and they didn’t make me feel like it was important that we were there. Antioch did. They wanted us to be a part of the community. They wanted us here. They made the process easy, fast and efficient,” says Markstein.
Located bull’s-eye in the middle of California, Antioch’s centrality allows businesses to serve clients in all parts of the state while easing the labor force’s commute. Director Reed sees Antioch’s location as a top asset for businesses located in the area.
“Antioch’s location within the greater northern California region is ideal for either attracting customers or reaching customers. There are 19 counties within a 60-mile radius of Antioch. That’s not a statement most cities can claim,” says Reed.
A trip to Sacramento takes about an hour and a half in good traffic, and a drive into San Francisco clocks around an hour. The trend for Antioch’s resident workforce of about 52,000 people has traditionally seen 90% of them commute from Antioch to their jobs elsewhere. With more jobs created within Antioch, people from the city and adjoining communities could enjoy short commutes and quiet reverse commutes on Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART).
Key to making Antioch its headquarters was that many of Markstein Sales Company’s 170 employees live locally. “One of the important things about staying in the East Bay was a lot of our team members live here,” says Markstein. “They’ve grown up here, and they work here. And that was just a no-brainer for me. You’ve got somebody who wants us here. Our team members live here. And so Antioch was the best choice for us.”
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Marcus Malu, Owner, Malu FItness
Sean McCauley, Venture Capitalist Entrepreneur
When the nonprofit Opportunity Junction was looking for a place to put down roots, they chose Antioch. Headed by Alissa Friedman, the organization trains job seekers in the skills they need to launch new careers while helping them overcome personal and systemic barriers.
“Antioch seemed like a really good place to be because we were right there in East Contra Costa. The whole area was a destination for people looking for more affordable housing,” says Friedman.
Some of Opportunity Junction’s staff members live in Antioch, and they often run into alums around town. Staff find out how their past trainees’ lives have improved after the program and where they are now. “It’s obviously a pleasant thing to hear an update!” says Friedman.
Entrepreneurs with just an inkling of a business idea to those with well-established legacy businesses can find opportunity in Antioch. The city’s business-friendly policies encourage investment and revitalization while attracting organizations whose heart is in serving the population. There’s room for people to realize their dreams and true callings in Antioch. Do you see your business here? Will you be the next face of opportunity in Antioch?
Alissa Friedman, President & CEO, Opportunity Junction
Laura Markstein, Owner & General Manager, Markstein Sales Company
Solo entrepreneurs also find opportunities in Antioch to start and grow their businesses. Youth fitness trainer Marcus Malu began training youth athletes at a park and transitioned to a brick-and-mortar gym inside Antioch’s Somersville Towne Center mall. As an immigrant, Malu faced challenges starting his business, but his faith helped him overcome them to share his hope and success with the rest of the community. After his kids outperformed others on the field during games, Malu Fitness enrollment skyrocketed.
Antioch is equipped to welcome businesses of all sizes to town, with a wide range of available storefronts for lease, 400 acres of land to support light to medium commercial development, and land parcels for heavy industrial. Reed stresses the unique opportunities business will find in the city, including land availability.
“Because Antioch is not fully built out, you'll find more kinds of spaces and places to launch your venture—and they're likely to cost less to launch—than just about anywhere else in the Bay Area,” says Reed.
Land availability drew fourth-generation family-owned woman-operated Bay Area wholesale beverage distributor Markstein Sales Company to Antioch. “Our company has existed all over the Bay Area,” says Laura Markstein, owner and general manager. “For many years, we were operating out of Pittsburgh, and we realized we outgrew our space, and we really needed a bigger footprint to be successful and efficient.”
Markstein Sales Company’s Antioch warehouse totals 126,000 square feet, with plenty of room on 14 acres for additional expansion. After a few meetings with Antioch city management, Markstein was convinced Antioch was the place to move her business.
“We’ve had conversations with other cities that were challenging, and they didn’t make me feel like it was important that we were there. Antioch did. They wanted us to be a part of the community. They wanted us here. They made the process easy, fast and efficient,” says Markstein.
Located bull’s-eye in the middle of California, Antioch’s centrality allows businesses to serve clients in all parts of the state while easing the labor force’s commute. Director Reed sees Antioch’s location as a top asset for businesses located in the area.
“Antioch’s location within the greater northern California region is ideal for either attracting customers or reaching customers. There are 19 counties within a 60-mile radius of Antioch. That’s not a statement most cities can claim,” says Reed.
A trip to Sacramento takes about an hour and a half in good traffic, and a drive into San Francisco clocks around an hour. The trend for Antioch’s resident workforce of about 52,000 people has traditionally seen 90% of them commute from Antioch to their jobs elsewhere. With more jobs created within Antioch, people from the city and adjoining communities could enjoy short commutes and quiet reverse commutes on Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART).
Key to making Antioch its headquarters was that many of Markstein Sales Company’s 170 employees live locally. “One of the important things about staying in the East Bay was a lot of our team members live here,” says Markstein. “They’ve grown up here, and they work here. And that was just a no-brainer for me. You’ve got somebody who wants us here. Our team members live here. And so Antioch was the best choice for us.”
Alissa Friedman, President & CEO, Opportunity Junction
Laura Markstein, Owner & General Manager, Markstein Sales Company
When the nonprofit Opportunity Junction was looking for a place to put down roots, they chose Antioch. Headed by Alissa Friedman, the organization trains job seekers in the skills they need to launch new careers while helping them overcome personal and systemic barriers.
“Antioch seemed like a really good place to be because we were right there in East Contra Costa. The whole area was a destination for people looking for more affordable housing,” says Friedman.
Some of Opportunity Junction’s staff members live in Antioch, and they often run into alums around town. Staff find out how their past trainees’ lives have improved after the program and where they are now. “It’s obviously a pleasant thing to hear an update!” says Friedman.
Entrepreneurs with just an inkling of a business idea to those with well-established legacy businesses can find opportunity in Antioch. The city’s business-friendly policies encourage investment and revitalization while attracting organizations whose heart is in serving the population. There’s room for people to realize their dreams and true callings in Antioch. Do you see your business here? Will you be the next face of opportunity in Antioch?