The family behind West Hollywood’s Dialog Cafe is promising customers that the beloved influencer-friendly spot will reopen, even as they warn the comeback could take months after severe flooding from the Sunset Strip water main rupture tore through the business.
The chaos unfolded Thursday morning when a roughly 100-year-old water main burst, unleashing millions of gallons across Sunset Boulevard and nearby streets. The sudden surge sent powerful streams of water into homes and storefronts, leaving parts of the area overwhelmed by the fast-moving deluge.
Located on Holloway Drive, the trendy neighborhood cafe has been operated for 18 years by brothers Tadeh “Todd” Ghazalian, 36, and Nareh Ghazalian, 45.
“We’re just trying to get back on our feet – it’s a crazy situation,” Todd told the California Post while crews assessed the destruction. Among the costly losses was a $30,000 espresso machine imported from Florence, Italy, which was left underwater during the flood.
Todd called the cleanup and recovery process “challenging,” saying the brothers still do not know the full financial toll. “It will be a lot,” he said.
“We’re going through it one day at a time. We’re trying to see the extent of the damage and what our next step is.”
Several members of the cafe’s staff of more than 90 people also showed up around 4:30 a.m., offering help as floodwaters continued rushing through the West Hollywood business.
By Friday afternoon, a GoFundMe campaign created to support Dialog Cafe’s recovery had brought in $20,000 toward a $500,000 goal, as the Sunset Strip-adjacent staple begins the long process of rebuilding.
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Todd recalled the heart-stopping moment he surveyed the damage to his business. “Seeing the busiest street in West Hollywood closed is crazy,” he said
“The second I walked in I saw the patio was full of sand and there was water, I walked inside and there was water everywhere. It was crazy to see it all.”
“The number one thing is to take care of staff,” said Todd. “Our team has been loyal to us. We’ve had people working for us for 10 years. We want to make sure we’re there for everybody though this tough time.”
The brothers are considering having a local pop-up location in a neighboring space.
“We’re looking at options now,” explained Todd.
He gave a big shout out to customers who have reached out to him with their support and praised the warm community spirit. “We have a lot of neighbors and we’re a part of a lot of people’s every day routines,” he added.
He urged authorities to be more focused on “building up” infrastructure in future so similar disasters are not repeated. The burst pipe was a “perfect example” of what can happen when not enough attention is paid to maintaining public utilities.
Todd said the cafe will eventually open its doors again in a few months.
“Don’t worry,” he proclaimed. “We love what we do. Dialog is going to be back and we’re going to be doing it really, really well.
“We’re excited to come back strong.”
