Malibu businesses face major losses after Palisades Fire

Malibu leaders are pleading with Angelenos and tourists to return to the Pacific Coast community as many businesses struggle to stay afloat in the aftermath of the Palisades Fire. 

"Unprecedented times, to say the least," former Malibu Mayor Mikke Pierson said,

Pierson, who now works with the local Chamber of Commerce, added that many mom-and-pop shops that survived the fires are seeing their businesses get choked off because of the Pacific Coast Highway closure. 

"It's an unexpected situation that they wouldn't burn down but that they would bleed to death," Pierson said. 

A month after the fires, the community endured through more adversity as mudslides filled the streets and flooded buildings. Duke's restaurant, a staple of Malibu, made it through the fires only to get flooded with dirt and debris. Malibu's mayor said the businesses that have been able to reopen are losing 50 to 85% of their revenue. 

He said reopening PCH is critical to Malibu's survival. 

"We're having regular conversations with the county, with the LAPD, Sheriff's Department and so forth," Mayor Doug Stewart said. "Potentially, the end of May is what the colonel with the Army Corps has said."

The owner of Malibu Brewing Company echoed what other businesses reported, that there was relief they survived the fire but a host of other issues are dragging down business. 

"After the fires, we weren't really impacted from the smoke or damage but really we lost utilities," owner Ryan Ahrens said. "With PCH being closed, we lost a lot of traffic access, which continues to be the issue today."