Palisades Village Mall reopens: ‘We are coming back, baby!’

Over 18 months have passed since the Palisades fire destroyed our town. Twelve of our neighbors died. Over half of residents lost everything they owned –– nearly 6,000 homes burned to the ground. Others remain standing, but sustained major damage.

Approximately 2,600 small businesses were engulfed in flames. In a close-knit community like the Pacific Palisades, everyone has been profoundly impacted. We’re in collective grief, compounded by maddening challenges to rebuilding and restoring some of what was lost.

Along the way, there have been rays of light. Hope stirs as we pass another house being framed. The annual Fourth of July parade was different this year but at least we were HOME.

One by one, schools, businesses and places of worship are reopening. The road to recovery remains long but there’s a feeling of “the Palisades is coming back, baby!” 

The reopening of Rick Caruso’s Palisades Village is cause for celebration. Not merely because we’ll have more dining and retail options (though they’re desperately needed), but because the light at the end of the tunnel seems much brighter. We feel momentum building, and the cloud that’s been hovering over us for the past 583 days is beginning to lift. 

Palisades Village first opened in 2018. It survived the fire because it was newer and had private firefighters. The shopping center nevertheless sustained smoke damage, requiring extensive remediation. Many of the original tenants are returning, along with beloved local small businesses like K-Bakery and Loomey’s Toy Store. 

Having met with Caruso, I’m impressed by his motivation to help bring our town back. I believe in showing up and finding ways to be of service, however big or small. We all have a role to play. I recognize these values in Rick Caruso. He’s a pragmatist who’s skilled at cutting through red tape and working with government leaders across political and ideological spectrums. 

Caruso’s model of private-public partnership initiatives is the way forward. As thousands of Angelenos discovered on Jan. 7, 2025, it’s dangerous to assume that government will always function as it should. LA is a city of 3.87 million residents, the second most populous in the nation. Our governing structure is overly complex, making it difficult to get things done and enabling the blame game when they go wrong. Caruso’s Steadfast LA paves the way for private businesses to work with government to deliver better, more timely results. 

My family is a few months away from being able to return to our home in the Palisades — which, like the Village, needed an overhaul due to its proximity to destroyed buildings, vehicles, etc. Over 90% of our street, along with our son’s school at the corner, burned down. He happily returned to Marquez Charter Elementary School yesterday.

Now we’re excited for the Village reopening!  We also plan to visit other nearby shops like Jaimie Geller Jewelry, Pali Trading Post, Elizabeth Lamont, and Palisades General Store. All beacons of light helping to illuminate the path home.

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Rick Caruso and the others that have opened deserve credit for forging ahead with only around 25% of impacted residents back home. Gelson’s and Ralph’s grocery stores should speed up their reopening timelines. They’re waiting for thousands more to return first. Some people are unmotivated to hurry back without critical infrastructure (many have no choice). 

The right thing to do isn’t always the most profitable. Large grocers and other essential retailers should temporarily adjust their profit expectations and/or receive government assistance to help devastated communities get back on their feet. 

I’m the founder and president of a local nonprofit, the Molly Steinsapir Foundation, that’s been serving the Palisades and greater LA for the past five years. We help Palisades and Eaton fire survivors, providing furniture and other necessities that are difficult for them to afford.

Contrary to misinformation, Pacific Palisades isn’t full of wealthy people. I don’t know anyone who hasn’t suffered a major financial blow because of the fire. Trader Joe’s, if you’re reading this, there’s available retail space and awesome people in the Palisades. 

Thank you to everyone who’s worked tirelessly to reopen the Palisades Village and each small business owner who claws his or her way back, making it possible for the rest of us to return home. Our community bonds have been forged through fire –– literally –– and none of us will forget how you showed up for us. 

Kaye Steinsapir is the founder and president of the Molly Steinsapir Foundation, which supports LA fire survivors.