Former east Oakland business owner leads effort to transform park that was part of reason he shuttered NBC Bay Area [Video]

One of Oakland’s parks that straddles two troubled corridors in the city’s eastside is getting a transformation. The work is spearheaded by a man who closed his shop across the street last year because of the challenging environment that included crime and homelessness.

Chien Nguyen is trying to paint a different picture of the Little Saigon neighborhood.

“Even if we look right now this area is really not thriving,” Nguyen said.

Nguyen closed down his shop Quickly in December. The biggest reason he cited as the deteriorating conditions outside his business.

“We have customers get robbed. We had employees get robbed. My store was broken into several times,” Nguyen said. “My business was right across the street from Clinton Park, so I [have] seen this park transform over the years,” he said.

Clinton Park is between two of the city’s main arteries, International Blvd. and 12th St. In recent years, …