Elyse Walker bets in 1999: Residents of Pacific Palisades and Brentwood would rather buy designer fashion nearby than drive to Beverly Hills.
Her boutique with the same name originally only 800 square feet became the cornerstone of a retail empire that now stretches from Tribeca to Newport Beach, attracting celebrities like Jennifer Garner and Kate Hudson. It also pushed for the renewal of Palisade city centre, with new restaurants and boutiques moving in.
All of this changed on January 7, when Palisades Fire upgraded Walker's flagship store and thousands of homes and other businesses.
On January 8, a man rode a scooter through a burning business in Palisade Village.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Walker proudly announced her next bet to raise her two sons nearby on Wednesday.
In downtown Palisade, she and developer Rick Caruso revealed that Caruso's Palisades Village Shopping Mall will reopen in mid-2026, and her flagship store Elysewalker will become its latest Wanhou tenant.
“I hope it's a catalyst for other retailers, brands and large businesses and small businesses to go back to Palisades, Malibu, Altadena and Pasadena,” Walker said in an interview. “Twenty-five years ago we planted seeds in this community and now we're doing it again.”
Caruso told Times that later this year he plans to restore Palisades Village's annual Christmas tree and Menorah lighting. He said he will also cover the costs of new landscaping and sidewalks on the streets around the mall.
The goal is to create a visible anchor for a town in a massive recovery and accelerate the return of a vibrant, bustling community, he said.
“It’s a big deal,” Caruso said. “It's a powerful voice of confidence when a retailer like Elyse opens a store in the community, and there's a bright future here. I do believe that her and our organization, Palisade's rebirth will not be stopped.”
Fashion designer Elyse Walker's location at the former flagship store in Pacific Palisades was destroyed in the Palisades fire on January 7.
(Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)
The news comes at a time of frustration and uncertainty as Palisades residents recover from the destruction of wildfires and struggle to cope with the massive displacement of their communities. Thousands of people relocate to different parts of Southern California or spread across the United States
“The fact that we have this hub in the middle of town is a piece of hope that we can come back soon,” said Palisades native Chris Feil, who moved six times after the fire and then settled on a rental in Manhattan Beach. His wife, Mia Feil, said she has emotional thoughts about what she lost in the fire. The couple is now in the early stages of reconstruction.
“We are suffering from the loss of our community,” she said. “Make all these things really the lifeline and joy nearby – that's what makes Palisade so special. It's a small town in a big city.”
Walker chose the shop that opened 25 years ago on Antioch Street so she could easily walk to her son's school.
“We're between three churches, two coffee shops and five schools – it's not about co-leasing,” Walker said. “We just know this is where people are walking around.”
Fashion designer Elyse Walker said she trusts Rick Caruso, right, who announced the reopening of her business in Palisades village on Wednesday.
(Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)
Her shop attracts wealthy women from all over the region, and she expanded the store’s footprint six times to nearly 6,500 square feet. Her store has $5,000 per square foot, the highest in the U.S. multi-brand retail industry. She has built a team of private shoppers and designers who visit clients’ curated fashion at home.
In the process, Walker became a possible ambassador for Palisades to become retailers and business owners such as Cafe Vida, Lemon Nails and Caruso’s Palisades Village, which opened in 2018 and brought with him cinemas, Erewhon and Chanel.
“People who live in Palisade don't want to leave. It's a magical place – they sit on the hills by the sea.”
On January 7, Caruso relied on a group of private firefighters to prevent the flames from destroying Palisades village and some nearby properties.
But Walker's store was reduced to rubble, a merchandise incinerated by Inferno.
The store has about 30 employees, and Walker says she is already in “sewer or swimming mode” trying to serve local customers through stores in Calabasas and Newport Beach and handle insurance through tough tasks.
“The first thing I said to the team is: There are no four walls that define me, there are no four walls that define magic,” she said.
She recalled the couple who met at the store, the local residents who learned that they were pregnant and their 3-year-old son died and needed a funeral dress.
“A lot of things happened in the locker room of that store and none of them went away – these relationships, friendships and trust remained,” Walker said.
Elyse Walker and Rick Caruso are strolling at her new flagship store in Palisades Village, which will reopen in 2026.
(Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)
Walker’s shop opened in the village of Palisades in spring or summer in 2026 and came to the city center with new trees, street views and upgraded sidewalks, Caruso said he hopes the area will be the cradle of reconstruction and provide beacons for those hilarious rebuilders.
“Hopefully this prompts other landlords to invest in their buildings and to open up other retailers,” he said.
