Malibu Farm Cafe on the Malibu Pier is usually booming with customers. But after the Woolsey fire decimated the area, business has been lagging. While the owners are thankful the fire did not physically reach the cafe, they are still recovering financially.

Cafe owner Helene Henderson says it has been a struggle to bounce back.

“I don’t know that business will be recovered until the Spring,” Henderson said.

Due to the fire, Henderson estimates that they’ve lost at least $200K in rent, spoiled products, and labor costs. 

With more staff than customers, the cafe is trying to recoup losses through insurance. But in a case like this, where the restaurant was not physically damaged by the fire, it’s proving to be difficult. 

“There’s no line in your insurance policy that says if PCH is closed, you get the recoup expenses,” Henderson said.

While there’s currently not many people to cook for, Henderson is still trying to keep her employees busy and paid.

“I think the first day, we probably had 100 employees and five customers. That hurt. Second day, we had 100 employees and maybe 30 customers,” said Henderson.

She says the bigger challenge now, even while roads are re-opening, is the perception that Malibu is closed off to the public, which has caused a dramatic decrease in customer traffic.

“The roads are open, but customers still aren’t necessarily coming to Malibu. Malibu is like a ghost town,” said Henderson.

She wants visitors to know that despite the struggle the community has endured, the charm and magic of Malibu can never fade. 

“Once you’re down in central Malibu, it’s as special as it ever was. Every sunset and every sunrise, especially this time of year, is truly magical. And we hope people come back and visit again," said Henderson.

And these days, visiting means much more than a fun day trip for a family owned business like this - It’s a way of supporting the local community, and helping fire ravaged residents get back on their feet.