At the heart of Telegraph Avenue is the story of two intertwined Oakland families, one black and one white. Archy Stallings and Nat Jaffe, who own the struggling record store Brokeland Records, find their livelihood under threat when a megastore plans to open on their street. Their wives, Gwen and Aviva, face their own professional challenges as midwives. The delicate balance of their community is further disrupted by the arrival of Titus Joyner, the teenage son Archy has never acknowledged. Set in the summer of 2004 and rich with the vibrant culture of the era, Michael Chabon's novel paints an intricate portrait of personal struggles, friendship, and the fight for preservation amidst the backdrop of a changing urban landscape.