Palisades Village Reopens Following $100 Million Restoration

PACIFIC PALISADES, CA — Palisades Village reopened to the public Saturday, marking a major milestone in Pacific Palisades' recovery more than 19 months after the shopping and dining center closed following the devastating January 2025 Palisades Fire.

"I don't know about you, but I have been waiting 19 months to say 'Welcome to Palisades Village,"' developer Rick Caruso said at a Saturday morning ribbon-cutting ceremony.

"... I'm not going to be lying here: We are in the middle of a recovery, and this is one chapter," he continued. "It's a mega-step, no doubt, but there's many more mega-steps to come. So as we celebrate today — and rightfully so — not the rebuilding of a village, but the progress this community has made in bringing itself back, our company ... has been inspired by the love, the determination and the strength of the Palisades families."

The outdoor center survived the wildfire that destroyed thousands of homes and other structures throughout the coastal community, but sustained extensive smoke and water damage that required more than $100 million in renovations and environmental remediation.

Crews stripped portions of the property to the framing, treated wood and replaced walls, insulation, air-conditioning ducts and other materials before the center could reopen.

The ribbon-cutting was followed by the opening of stores at 11 a.m. Reopening-day activities included retailer events, pop-ups, live entertainment, tastings and family activities, with festivities scheduled to continue until 8 p.m., according to the Palisades Village website.

The retail and dining center, which originally opened in 2018, was 99% leased as of early July. Most former tenants are returning, while about one- third of the businesses will be new to the property.

In a pre-opening joint statement, Caruso and former 2022 mayoral opponent Mayor Karen Bass applauded the collaborative effort that lead to Saturday's reopening.

"A thriving community depends on strong local businesses and vibrant gathering places, and bringing them back is essential to restoring the character and future of the Pacific Palisades," Caruso said. "Public private partnerships are key to bringing back the Palisades and can be an essential tool for revitalizing the entire city. By working closely with Mayor Bass, Councilmember [Traci] Park, and the whole City family, we were able to make major investments in public spaces and infrastructure while minimizing taxpayer costs and moving at the quick pace Angelenos deserve and expect."

Those collaborations included repairing roads, painting crosswalks and curbs, and fixing damaged street lights. Caruso invested millions of dollars into improvements on and near Sunset Boulevard.

Additionally, the city Board of Public Works unanimously approved the Pacific Palisades Streetscape and Beautification Project, advancing sidewalk repairs, tree replanting, landscaping, and lighting improvements to support the Village's continued recovery and revitalization, according to city officials.

"The reopening of Palisades Village is a critical milestone in the recovery of Pacific Palisades," Bass said. "It is imperative that residents have places to eat, shop, and come together so that they do not have to leave their community. Rick Caruso was committed to rebuilding this flagship commercial landmark from the start and returning it to Palisadians. I thank Rick for his partnership with the City and his dedication to getting this done for a community that has been through so much loss. This is an important sign of hope."

Returning businesses include Erewhon, Blue Ribbon Sushi, Buck Mason and Anine Bing, along with local businesses affected by the wildfire, including K Bakery and Loomey's Toys.

Fashion designer Elyse Walker is also opening her namesake store at Palisades Village after her longtime flagship location on Antioch Street was destroyed in the fire.

New tenants include chef Nancy Silverton's Italian steakhouse Spacca Tutto, the h.wood Group's Alphabet Bar & Grill, beauty retailer Violet Grey and activewear retailer LESET's first West Coast location.

PAIGE will also reopen its Palisades Village store Saturday. The fashion retailer is offering limited-edition Palisades Social Club merchandise, with proceeds benefiting Steadfast LA, a nonprofit supporting wildfire recovery efforts in Pacific Palisades, Malibu and Altadena.

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection has reported that the Palisades Fire destroyed 6,822 structures, including more than 5,500 homes and about 100 commercial buildings.

Caruso has credited the survival of Palisades Village to private firefighters and fire-resistant materials used in the center's construction.

The reopening restores one of Pacific Palisades' major commercial and gathering places as rebuilding continues throughout the fire-damaged community.

"This town was Mayberry by the sea," he said at Saturday's reopening. "I always (said it was like) living inside a Norman Rockwell picture. And then a nuclear bomb hit. But no matter what happened, no matter the losses, the heartache and the pain that my family felt along with yours who lost homes, we always knew that we would be back."

City News Service