My fiance and I just bought a condo in Old Oakland and we love it. The new stores and restaurants have made the area so lively and give it a great neighborhood feel. We cannot wait to have and raise kids here. However, I think in order to make downtown more livable, it's necessary to add a grocery store like Trader Joe's or Safeway. Smart n' Final is great for some simple items but doesn't really bring people to the neighborhood. A store like Trader Joe's or Safeway would offer a wider variety of food and would therefore bring more people to shop in the area.