Major Water Main Break Impacts Dialog Cafe and West Hollywood Businesses

Tadeh Ghazalian started his Thursday morning on Instagram, finding a video of a broken water main flooding the street near his eatery. Messages from his loved ones filled his phone, all anxious about Dialog Cafe, a family enterprise at a bustling Sunset Strip corner, now alongside a developing sinkhole.

“All that water that came from the line flowed straight into my restaurant and stayed for around four or five hours,” he shared. “Thousands of pounds of water entered the space. At one point, you couldn’t even see the floor. It appeared like a pool,” he added.

The root of the issue was a 110-year-old pipe that had burst early that Thursday, unleashing 17 million gallons of water, affecting West Hollywood’s homes, businesses, and garages. The massive pipe rupture also formed a sinkhole at Sunset Boulevard and Holloway Drive, leading to road closures that have disrupted local commerce.

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power crews are working on installing a new pipe. Officials aim to have the street fully open by Monday, but some businesses, including Dialog Cafe, anticipate months of repairs before reopening.

Established in 2007 by Armenian immigrants Rafik and Kenar Ghazalian, Dialog Cafe became a community-centric hub. The couple followed their sons to the U.S., transforming a local internet cafe into a more European-style venue. Their son, Tadeh, initially an accountant, grew enamored with third-wave coffee, eventually managing the business with his brother after their father passed away.

The cafe, usually bustling with customers, recently opened a second location in Sawtelle, which continues to welcome guests at 1835 S. Sepulveda Blvd.

Arriving at the site early Thursday, Ghazalian underestimated the extent of the damage. Mud and water covered floors, and the basement, housing storage and bathrooms, was completely flooded. Now, he faces significant restoration efforts, including floor and wall replacements.

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

In the evening, water damage prevented the secure closure of Dialog Cafe. Ghazalian temporarily fixed it by attaching plywood to the frames. The cafe’s takeout area is also unusable, with the sidewalk partially washed away.

Despite setbacks, Dialog Cafe restored gas and electricity by late Thursday. The following day, it offered complimentary coffee and pastries to the repair crews working on the water line.

Faithful customers still come for their favorite dishes, like breakfast burritos and cookies, made popular on social media. Ghazalian is saddened to inform them that the West Hollywood branch is indefinitely closed but deeply appreciates the support shown.

“A person literally came up to me, crying, and just gave me a hug,” he expressed. “This is more than coffee and food. It’s touching how important this place is for people. Our family’s been overwhelmed by the support.”

Support from customers and local enterprises included offers to use their storage spaces and kitchens. Uplifting comments have also kept their morale high, with one Instagram comment humorously declaring, “Lord let the sinkhole take me instead but not Dialog Cafe!!!!”

Ghazalian mulls a temporary relocation for the cafe during the repairs. He also initiated a GoFundMe on Friday to raise funds for the cafe’s approximately 90 employees, repair costs, and possibly a new temporary location.

“I’ve been running the restaurant for 17 years, working five or six days a week — 18 hours each day — and cherished every moment,” Ghazalian shared. “Walking up and seeing no one here was just strange.”

Nearby enterprises were not immune to the break’s impact. Mel’s Drive-In, half a mile east of the problem area, saw sales decrease by 30-40% due to road closures, according to co-owner Colton Weiss. Although some roads reopened on Friday, business remained slow.

“I think people are avoiding the area,” Weiss noted. “At least we’re open. I feel bad for the businesses that aren’t. It’s unfortunate what’s happened; it’s a real mess.”