The proprietors of “Moonshadows,” a restaurant in Malibu that was totally destroyed by last week’s fierce Palisades Fire, are now attempting to raise funds to sustain the staff that used to make them so well-liked.
Several monuments along the Pacific Coast Highway were destroyed when the fire broke out last Tuesday, including the cherished restaurant that has been a mainstay along the coast for over 40 years. Despite the enormity of their loss, the Slajchert family is trying to find meaning in the midst of their suffering.
“The restaurant meant an incredible deal to this community,” JD Slajchert stated. “I feel like I’ve only begun to even realize that myself.”
Their Santa Monica home was their first concern when the fire started, not the possibility that the flames would spread to the business.
“Thinking that the restaurant would probably be alright, given its located so close to the water,” remarked Slajchert.
He claims the community has sent them a ton of messages and support in the days since the news emerged.
“We’ve heard and gotten messages from people that have had first dates there, went on their honeymoon there, were married there and my heart just breaks for the people that will forever miss this place,” he stated.
The Woolsey Fire in 2018 destroyed the Slajchert family’s childhood home, thus the Palisades Fire is by no means their first experience with destructive wildfires.
“We know first hand how devastating these wildfires can be,” he stated. “My first thought was about all the staff that are like brothers and sisters to me and my family.”
He started using social media right away in an effort to try to generate money for the staff members who have been there since the firm first launched in the 1960s and have contributed to its success. The restaurant’s Instagram feed has details on the fundraising activities.
Additionally, Slajchert wants to convey to individuals affected by the fires the importance of perseverance.
“I hope that anybody out there watching, maybe that’s just lost a home or lost a business, can look at us and say, ‘Hey, you’ll be okay, you will bounce back from this,'” he stated. “Brighter days are ahead.”