The Palisades Fire may be long extinguished, but for some of Malibu’s most iconic mom-and-pop businesses, the blaze was only the beginning of their troubles. Along the eastern edge of the city, a collection of landmarks that once defined the Pacific Coast Highway experience — Reel Inn, Topanga Ranch Motel, Wiley’s Bait and Tackle, Cholada Thai, and Rosenthal Wine Bar — now sit in ruins, their futures tied up in bureaucratic knots.
Chief among them is the Reel Inn, a seafood shack that had been serving surfers, locals, and tourists for nearly four decades. Known for its casual charm and fresh catches, the Inn’s old-school atmosphere was part of the magic.
The sign that once welcomed thousands now lies in rubble. Its owner, Andy Leonard, has spent the weeks since the fire battling not only loss, but the state’s decision to cancel leases on the property, effectively shutting the door on rebuilding.
“From day one for thirty years, we wanted to remodel, rebuild, expand,” Leonard explained. “We thought someone at State Parks would go, ‘These guys have good press. Why don’t we lean in and do something cool?’ And the phone didn’t just stay quiet — two weeks ago, we got the cancellation letter.”
The property is technically owned by California State Parks but managed by LADWP. In the aftermath of the fire, both agencies have taken a cautious approach, citing safety, redevelopment concerns, and long-term planning. That left business owners blindsided, especially since their operations depended on the unique lease arrangement that kept overhead costs low enough to make seafood affordable.
“It’s a snake eating its own tail,” Leonard said. “The Reel Inn worked because of the quirky circumstances. If we had a glossy aluminum-and-glass restaurant, you’d be paying $40 for fish.”
California State Parks has offered Leonard the possibility of operating a food truck nearby. But the proposed lot lacks water, sewer connections, or infrastructure — and Leonard would have to bid on it like any other vendor. Unsurprisingly, he isn’t convinced.
For locals, the story isn’t just about real estate or regulations. It’s about the erasure of community touchstones. “Reel Inn was my spot,” surfer David Solomon remembered. “Clam chowder after a long day. Wiley’s for bait, Cholada Thai for curry. These were woven into our routines. Now people are out of jobs, and it’s going to sit empty for years, like Topanga Ranch. It’s terrible.”
State Parks, perhaps realizing the public relations disaster, softened its tone in a later statement: “Some of our recent communications may not have fully conveyed our values and intent… State Parks looks forward to continuing this dialogue with the Leonards.”
