Isabela Livingstone dug through the boxes stacked up in a bed.
“We have needles, gloves, razors,” she said.
She has turned a bedroom into her home in makeshift storage for the donations she has received with gratitude – cleaning supplies, art supplies, tools and, of course, tattoo supplies.
Livingstone reached her dream just less than two years ago-opening a tattoo salon staffed with female and non-binary artists. Tattoo Junebug was set in Altadena in Fair Oaks in an old striped center that also included Pizza of Venice, a drink store, a small comedy space and an art gallery.
“So all this is completely disappeared,” she said, “and you know, we were a close community of people and it’s really sad to know that we won’t be together, you know, for a Long time time, if ever. “
It depends on several factors, not the most important thing is whether there will be any customer.
Dwight Ferguson is the owner Nawave Berberi in Lake Ave in Pasadena, just above the Altadena border.
“It’s been a kind of ghost city here,” he said. “Kind is a sad kind to see because this was a living community.”
Ferguson moved to Altadena a quarter of a century ago and lost his home in Eaton’s fire. While he still has his own business, the business has been too slow, especially for a Saturday morning.
“People lined up sitting here waiting in front of the fires and now watching it,” Ferguson said, observing empty chairs. “No one is cutting the hair.”
According to the Los Angeles District Economic Development Corporation, over 1,800 small businesses were located within the combustion zones, generating more than 11,000 jobs. The economic impact on fires will be long -term and widespread. Something something that weighs a lot in Ferguson’s mind.
“I’ve lost 60% of my business because most of my customers lived in Altadena,” he explained. “But I plan to remove it. We’re very elastic. And we’ll be here for the community because the community needs us and we need the community.”
Even with his business suffering, he is offering free haircuts and braids to the fire -affected residents. He has a gofundme site and is looking for grant programs to help Nawave stay in the sea. No credit, he points out, because no one needs debt. He needs grants.
As for Livingstone, she is holding her hands busy, circling a fundraising concert that takes place at the Golden Park in Highland Park on February 20Th. She would like to reopen in Altadena. She went to school there and her father and grandparents are still living in the community, but she thinks they will really pass 5 years before you reopen there may be feasible and she can’t wait so long, not with the staff counting in it for a check. Plus it adds, no one can predict what the city will look like.
“Everything is just such a big question,” Livingstone said. “You know, because because there is a chance for everyone to sell their home and, and become a very different community.”
She has found a new home for the June Bug at the Eagle Rock and plans to open in April. She is treating it as it can be a permanent act – but the old Altadena is climbing to her heart and if she returns, she says, she would like to return.