Why Are So Many East Bay Pizza Shops Cooperatively Owned?

Columbia Shafer lives in Oakland and has noticed there are a lot of employee-owned businesses near her. And not just any businesses – pizza shops. That got her wondering why pizza? And why here?

The answer to "Why pizza?" became obvious as soon as I started talking to people: “It’s delicious.” “Pizza never goes out of style.” “Why pizza? Pizza is the best!” All real answers I got.

But, aside from local love for the slice, this is a story that dates back to the late 1960s and early 1970s in Berkeley, when a small mom-and-pop cheese shop made a bold move into the world of worker-owned cooperatives. Yep, I'm talking about The Cheese Board Collective.

Read the rest at KQED