Community Corner
Who's Who: Lashaun Gardner
Every weekday we feature a chat with someone who lives or works in El Cerrito.
Name: Lashaun Gardner
Age: 32
Occupation: Loss prevention and security at in El Cerrito
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How long have you been working at this Walgreens? I've been at this Walgreens in particular for about two weeks now. I've been with the company a little over a year.
Which store were you at before this? I've worked at a few different stores. I was kind of floating around for a while. I started off in Vallejo, went to downtown Oakland and then here.
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How do you like it so far? It’s good. This company takes care of you; it’s transferable, they work with you, and it's good people you work with. You interact with all kinds of different people.
How is working in this area of El Cerrito? Panhandlers can get annoying some days, but for the most part it’s pretty good. We definitely get good business because it’s right next to a BART station, the and – we’re right in the middle of everything.
And people come to this Walgreens from all around? San Pablo, Berkeley, Richmond, Oakland – some people come all the way from Berkeley just because it’s quieter over here than down there.
Do you live in the East Bay? I live in San Francisco.
How’s that commute? Its OK. Mostly, I just deal with the BART.
How long have you lived in the city? That’s where I grew up; I was born and raised there.
What do you think about the East Bay versus San Francisco? Out here you kind of see the same people with the same routine all the time. I’m here five days out of the week, and I probably see all the same people five days out of the week. In San Francisco it’s always different; there’s always something going on.
What are your hobbies? I like to work out, play basketball and football. I was always into athletics. All of my uncles and cousins were sports fans and athletes – that’s what we did to have fun. I've been a member of 24 Hour Fitness for over 10 years now. I even did personal training over there for a while.
How was that? It’s good, you get clients, but people fall off and it’s not real steady, steady, steady. Being here is more steady work and room to grow. There are always steps to go up the ladder.