‘Here for a reason’: A popular Altadena burger spot spared by the Eaton fire reopens

Fair Oaks Burger in Altadena celebrated their grand re-opening Saturday morning, June 14, after being closed for five months because of the Eaton fire.

Hundreds of Altadena residents turned out in support of the popular restaurant’s re-opening, where they enjoyed free food, drinks, and live music from Los Jornaleros del Norte.

For many, the restaurant is a symbol of hope in the aftermath of the deadly Eaton fire, which pummeled thousands of homes, businesses and houses of worship.

But somehow, the burger joint was spared. Even now, it’s retro red-and-white-striped exterior and seating area is just feet away from scorched lots along Fair Oaks Avenue.

“I’m a believer that God left this building here for a reason,” said Jose Mota, a former Major League Baseball player and current broadcaster for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Mota and his wife, who live in Glendora, have been patrons of Fair Oaks Burger.

“The reason is quite clear now. They’ve been luminaries for this community,” Mota said.

Since March, the parking lot of Fair Oaks Burger has been the site of a free, weekly farmer’s market, co-run with the AIDS Health Foundation’s Food for Health team, and the sisters who co-own it have regularly distributed free sandwiches and burritos to Altadena residents. It’s also hosted rallies, food distributions, and clothing pop-ups.

Just last week, L.A.-based artist Robert Vargas revealed his mural for Altadena titled, “From the Ashes,” on the side of Fair Oaks Burger.

At the re-opening, animal shelters like Pasadena Humane were present, who brought animals rescued from the Eaton fire. Ivy Gonzalez, Pasadena Humane’s adoptions coordinator, said she knew she wanted to collaborate with Fair Oaks Burger on their re-opening after they reached out, especially as someone who lost her home in the fire and as a frequent patron at the restaurant.

“We want to support the community as much as we can, so that’s why we made the decision to come out here,” said Gonzalez.

The many events hosted at Fair Oaks Burger over the past few months prove that the neighborhood joint isn’t just a restaurant, but a space for the community to reunite and heal.

The 37-year neighborhood establishment was one of the few on their block that miraculously survived the Eaton fire. However, because of water shut-offs, fallout from debris, and other sanitation problems, Fair Oaks Burger was forced to close down.

“We could’ve just cleaned it up and said ‘all good,’ but unfortunately, our conscious wouldn’t let us do that,” said Janet Lee, who co-owns the restaurant with her sister, Christy. She pointed out the new floors, booths, and presence of air purifiers to ensure everyone feels safe to dine at Fair Oaks Burger.

Through a Small Business Administration loan, grants, and generous donations from loyal patrons, Fair Oaks Burger was able to successfully re-open with those renovations. Originally, the sisters held off from starting a GoFundMe because they felt a sense of guilt. But that was before they saw what needed to be done to safely re-open.

Now that Fair Oaks Burger has re-opened, Janet said she feels like “a weight has been lifted off [her] shoulders.” Now, she said, “the pressure is just house, house, house.” Christy and their parents’ homes burned down in the Eaton fire.

“I think right now is the time where the tides are turning a bit. People were feeling hopeless before, but now they’re feeling hopeful … .No matter how much we don’t want to move forward, everybody has to, regardless of choice,” Janet Lee said.