Water Main Break Devastates West Hollywood Businesses

Tadeh Ghazalian woke up Thursday morning and checked Instagram, where he saw a video depicting a ruptured water main flooding the street — right by his restaurant. He quickly noticed numerous unread messages from friends, family, and staff, all worried about Dialog Cafe. This popular family business is located at the corner where a sinkhole was forming at a busy Sunset Strip intersection.

“All that water that came out of that line immediately went right in my front door, and it continued for four or five hours,” he said. “At one point, you couldn’t even see the floor. It looked like a pool.”

Early Thursday morning, a 110-year-old underground pipe burst, releasing 17 million gallons of water through parts of West Hollywood. The flood affected businesses, homes, and garages, with damage assessment ongoing. The rupture created a sinkhole at Sunset Boulevard and Holloway Drive, causing road closures that continue to impact local businesses.

Repair crews from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power are installing a new pipe. Officials aim to reopen the streets fully by Monday. However, some businesses face months of repairs before reopening. Dialog Cafe, a neighborhood favorite since 2007, is among them.

Rafik and Kenar Ghazalian, Armenian immigrants from Italy, came to the U.S. to pursue dreams and join their sons who had moved to L.A. They transformed a West Hollywood internet cafe into a European-style establishment. Their son Tadeh, passionate about third-wave coffee, integrated into the family business and eventually took over with his brother.

Before the flood, the bustling Dialog Cafe drew full tables and lines of customers. The family opened a second location on Sawtelle, which remains operational.

Upon arriving at the flooded West Hollywood location Thursday morning, Ghazalian initially believed he and the staff could clear the mud and water. However, upon checking the basement — housing bathrooms and storage — he found it fully flooded. Now significant renovations are anticipated.

“Everything’s destroyed,” he said, “from the walls to the door.”

Due to water damage, Ghazalian struggled to secure Dialog Cafe the previous night. He used plywood to secure the warped back door, while the to-go area was stripped of flooring by floodwaters.

After regaining gas and electricity on Thursday, Dialog Cafe offered free coffee and pastries to crews working on the broken main. Despite the closure, loyal customers still seek their usual orders, like breakfast burritos and lattes — popular items on social media. The indefinite closure weighs on Ghazalian but support from the community has been overwhelming.

“A person literally just came up to me, crying, and gave me a hug,” he said. “I’m touched by how important this is for people. Our family’s so grateful for the support.”

Customers and business owners have offered resources like refrigerators, storage, and kitchen space to assist the cafe. Supportive comments online have buoyed spirits, including humorous ones wishing for the sinkhole to spare the cafe.

To address financial challenges, Ghazalian launched a GoFundMe to support the cafe’s 90 staff members and repairs. He is considering a temporary relocation during repairs, aiming to resume work soon.

“I’ve worked 18-hour days for 17 years, loving every moment,” Ghazalian shared. “Walking up with nobody here felt strange.”

Nearby businesses, unaffected physically, still suffer due to the water main break. Mel’s Drive-In experienced a 30-40% sales drop Thursday due to road closures, explained co-owner Colton Weiss. Although some roads reopened Friday, it recorded slower business than usual.

“I think people are avoiding the area,” Weiss said. “We’re open at least. I feel bad for those that aren’t … It’s a real mess.”