With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
How a high-end Santa Monica boutique pivoted to help fire victims
OpenClosit in Santa Monica has become a community donation hub
(
Suzanne Levy
/
LAist
)
LAist relies on reader donations to power our nonprofit newsroom's coverage of wildfire and breaking news. Support LAist by giving now .
A line of people snaked along Santa Monica’s chic Montana Avenue Saturday with bags in hand, waiting for their turn to donate clothes and other goods. The store they waited patiently outside, Openclosit , is normally an “AirBnB for designer clothing,” known for renting out dresses and fashion items previously worn at red carpet Hollywood events.
But after the fires devastated the Pacific Palisades community nearby, store owner Johanna Moonan and her friend Elizabeth Turner , a former model with almost a million followers on social media, pivoted to make the store a donation point, offering free essentials to their neighbors whose homes had been destroyed.
On Saturday, the store on 16th and Montana was full of racks holding shirts, jackets, bags and baseball hats as well as shelves covered with toiletries and other essentials.
Sponsored message
The toiletries section at the pop-up store.
(
Suzanne Levy
/
LAist
)
“We’ve set up a little makeshift CVS in the back with donations,” said Moonan. “Food items, baby products, dog food, toys. We’re just checking each day what people need. Yesterday was iPhone chargers. We’re updating each day on socials what we need.”
-
The utility company denies the allegation, saying it’s too soon to enter into mediation when investigations into the cause of the Eaton Fire are not yet complete. -
As much as 8 inches of rain could fall on some areas of Southern California, raising the risk of debris flows. -
L.A. Mayor Karen Bass called for a full investigation in October, following Los Angeles Times reporting that found firefighters were told to leave Lachman Fire burn site before it was out.
Somewhat shell-shocked men and women, with IKEA blue bags or donated suitcases in hand, were searching through the racks and shelves for clothes their size, to supplement the clothes they were standing in — the only clothes they had left.
A woman who simply gave her name as Yvonne, a teacher in Santa Monica, said she’d found “a couple of jackets, and they’ve picked out some things for my daughter.”
She hadn’t been back to her house yet in the Pacific Palisades; she’d seen a video of its destruction on TV. She choked up as she talked about it. “It was horrific to see it all happen,” she said.
Sponsored message
But she was appreciative of what the store was offering. “There’s so much generosity happening right now across L.A.” she said, looking around her. “People like me … we need to return to normalcy, we need clothes to wear for work, and clothes for our children and toiletries and things. Here they’re doing that.”
HOW TO HELP
- The store is accepting donations at 1528 Montana Ave. in Santa Monica, at the corner of 16th Street and Montana Avenue.
- Check the pair's social media accounts, @Elizabethcturner and @openclosit for what's needed.
- The women say operations are scheduled to wrap up Monday evening. The donation center will then shift over to Santa Monica College.
Volunteer Marissa Stahl says many of the fire victims are clearly traumatized.
“Mostly they’ve been at a loss and unable to put together sentences,” she said. “They’re really overwhelmed with the amount of things they do need, and also overwhelmed with where to start ... So we’re trying to do a little bit to get them some essentials so that they have other clothes to wear, something to wash their face with, something to brush their teeth with, basic things.”
Baseball hats up for grabs.
(
Suzanne Levy
/
LAist
)
Alaia Waters, who was coming out of the store with a large bag in her hand, said her family had lost their home in Altadena in the Eaton fire. “Me and my grandma were able to pack a bag, but my grandpa left with just the clothes he had on. So I’m trying to get him some extra things, get my grandma some things, and some for me.”
Alaia Waters who came to pick up essentials after her family lost their home in the Altadena fire.
(
Suzanne Levy
/
LAist
)
Sponsored message
She said she’d been able to get pants for her grandfather, socks, underwear as well as skin care and make up. “Some deodorant, toothbrushes, aspirin, things like that. All the necessities.”
Turner said she and Moonan were surprised by what their efforts blossomed into. They had only figured it would last a few days, as “a little neighborhood relief effort."
Instead it had turned into a huge operation, with the women now collaborating with the city of Santa Monica and the Los Angeles Fire Department. “We’re doing three or four runs a day to the first responders,” she said.
Johanna Moonan (L) and Elizabeth Turner (R)
(
Suzanne Levy/LAist
)
The pair will be accepting donations through the weekend, but plan to wrap up their operation by end of day Monday. After that, donations will likely be accepted by the city of Santa Monica, who will be setting up a donation headquarters at Santa Monica College.
Do you have a question about the wildfires or fire recovery?
Check out LAist.com/FireFAQs to see if your question has already been answered. If not, submit your questions here, and we’ll do our best to get you an answer.
_
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
