After the Fire
When you grow up in Southern California, you get used to hearing about the Santa Ana winds. Every year, we brace ourselves for gusts that feel like they could knock you off your feet. But when forecasters began warning of strong winds the first week of January, none of us could have imagined what was coming.
The Eaton Fire wasn’t just another wildfire. It roared down Eaton Canyon at a terrifying pace, jumping unpredictably, with embers flying across streets. Palm trees were in flames, dropping embers and igniting homes with an almost casual indifference. That night, I stood with my wife, neighbors and friends watching the fire advance. My brother, Jimmy, rushed to help his family pack up their home. The smoke was thick, the heat was intense and the sight of the trees engulfed in flames will stay with me forever.
By the time we realized the fire might reach Altadena Hardware, it was too late. The next morning, my dad got to the store around 7 a.m. and confirmed what we feared: The store was gone. Nearly 100 years of history, reduced to ashes in one horrific night.
Building a Family, Community Legacy
Altadena Hardware has always been more than just a business for our family. My grandfather was in hardware as a child in Illinois and continued that passion in the 1960s when he bought Newland Hardware in Los Angeles. My dad, Jim, and mother, Paula, bought Altadena Hardware when I was in high school. My brother and I grew up here. This store is part of who we are.
Jimmy and I bought Altadena Hardware after I graduated from college, and he and I spent our early professional years building it.
For our community, Altadena Hardware isn’t just a place to buy tools or gardening supplies—it’s a gathering spot. Over the years, we’ve built relationships with our customers, greeting them by name and helping them turn their houses into homes. Even after Home Depot opened nearby, our neighbors chose to shop with us, knowing they’d get personalized service and expertise they couldn’t find anywhere else.
After the fire, I’ve seen just how much the store meant to the community. Customers and friends have called us in tears—not just because they lost their own homes, but because they lost a place that felt like home.
