OakBerry, the Brazil-based açaí juggernaut of a chain, will be opening its first Long Beach location. Located inside the former Engels & Völkers sapce at 4913 E. 2nd St.

And it is but one of many bourgeoning brands that have sought Belmont Shore as its home, bringing about a renaissance along the business corridor that hasn't been seen in years.

Belmont Shore is rapidly changing and has rapidly changed -- especially across the past two years, where a slew of bigger, largely Los Angeles-based brands have opted to open up locations along the famed business corridor. And that includes OakBerry. It is a more extensive reflection of the post-pandemic need to get out, favoring walkable outdoor spaces of insulated indoor ones.

And with it, has brought an onslaught of popular, existing brands to the Shore.

North Hollywood-based Republic of Pie and Kauai-based taro donut shop Holey Grail both recently opened. There is an extension of Orange County's Ribbro that opened. The Win~Dow, Venice's smash burger concept birthed in 2019 in a parking lot, has officially opened its first Long Beach location in Belmont Shore in the former Archibald's space. L'Antica da Michele -- of the famed Napoli pizzeria -- expanded into the Shore. Then there's been Goodies. Le Macaron. Breakfast Republic. Sweeten. Nick the Greek. Northern Cafe. Sushi Nikkei's second location in the city...

And even old-school, staple businesses -- from Nick's and SuperMex to Angelo's and Gazelle -- also have other locations.

"Belmont Shore is a thriving Main Street that continues to attract burgeoning brands and small chains because it offers the perfect mix of charm, visibility, and opportunity," said Heather Kern of the Belmont Shore Business Association. "Plus, who wouldn't want their office commute to end at the beach? This isn't a new trend for Belmont Shore -- iconic businesses like The Hoffman Company started here, Super Mex chose 2nd Street early in their growth, and the area even hosted one of the first Tilly's and an early Starbucks. Belmont Shore has long been the place where businesses flourish, blending work-life balance with ocean breezes and a vibrant community."

Belmont Shore is where expanding or legacy brands go to create new patronages -- and from a purely marketing standpoint, that is only good news for Long Beach. From a business standpoint, it is something worth heralding and harnessing.

This smoothie joint has expanded into hundreds of locations worldwide across the past two years after opening over 300 -- yes, three-hundred -- Oakberry shops across Brazil from 2016 to now. And CEO Georgios Frangulis always had his sights set on expanding in the U.S. In fact, he initially planned to launch the açaí-centric shop in SoCal but was ultimately unable to convince investors on a brand that had zero presence.

The brand expects to reach over $200 million in revenue and nearly 1,000 stores globally by the end of this year. And how will it do just that? Thanks to landing some $67 million in fundraising, expect to see Oakberry's popup in nearly every market in the U.S.