Surrounded by friends, customers and family, Point Pizza Malibu owner Hye Song Oh closed her 24-year-old restaurant on New Years Eve.
Oh, who thanked the Malibu community for the support, worked up through the 8 p.m. closing, giving out hugs and asking about her customer's lives.
Earlier this week, Oh released a statement expressing her sadness at the Dec. 31 closure, which was because Point Dume Village owner Zan Marquis refused to extend her lease. Instead he signed a new lease with D'Amore's Famous Pizza, which already has a location in Eastern Malibu.
"The most difficult part of this closure is the fact that I will not be able to see the customers that have been coming into the store over the years. I know their families, have seen their children grow up and bring in their own children, and I know what they are going to order even if they have not been in the store for months or years," Oh said. "I feel like I am losing part of my own family."
Jody Kern, who grew up in the Ramirez Canyon area of Malibu, said he was one of the first cooks at Point Pizza under the original owners. He was out of Point Pizza Monday with the last torpedo sub.
"The day it opened, I was really happy we had a pizza place on this side of town," Kern said, adding that he started by delivering pizzas and subs when he was 17 and worked off and on until he turned 27.
"Zan Marquis has a black heart," Kern said.
Hamish Patterson, who ran for Malibu City Council in April, said he is going to miss his two slices of pepperoni jalapeno pizzas.
"I'm officially going to go out of my way to make their life difficult," Patterson said of D'Amore's. "It's a scumbag move."
Patterson and others thanked Oh for providing jobs and a hang out for Malibu's youth.
"She's always been part of the community. It's an attack on the youth," he said.
A closing party began just after 5:30 p.m., but some customers, like Patterson, hung out at the restaurant all day.
By 7:20 p.m., only 10 pizzas were left.
Sam McGee, who began working at Point Pizza when he was 16, said he has mixed feelings about the closure.
"I'm happy I got to spend time with them. I'm happy the community came out today. I'm really upset they are closing. It's not going to set it for a few days," McGee said.
There is no ethical justification for literally taking away a woman's 24 year business. She purchased Pt. Pizza from the previous owners, yet this take-over business doesn't pay her one penny for, and steals her valuable customer base. She couldn't even take her pizza ovens, they're built into the walls. While agreeing to every landlord demand, an older woman now, she's left with the clothes on her back, no job, just memories of decades of hard work, all taken with no compensation or one single moment of concern. Shame, shame, for SHAME. Yes, we live in a business world but what happened to HEART, ethics and morality? That's GOOD business. Have no idea how these people live with themselves - but I do know the Universal law of Karma. And that never wavers . . . Malibu Landlords - this business is loved. She's a part of our Malibu family. If you wish to join with this community, lend a hand, become a hero - please bring Hye Song and Point Pizza back. Care is what makes a neighborhood, reaching out is what makes a community, join in the beauty of this town. This is a moment where you're needed. Will you step up?
J. Flora-Katz
Nothing against the D'Amore family, but really? I think there is plenty of room for Point Pizza at 23825 Stewart Ranch Road, 2nd floor, south side. Ocean-view, lots of foot traffic during lunchtime, within 12 minutes of the entire city for deliveries or take-out. City business over a pie! Lord knows it would be more of a public service than the current use.
Of course the landlord needs to maximize the bottom line, it's not about that. But an inferior business? There are a lot of ways to conduct business, we all have different philosophies. Some of us can sleep at night for the right reasons, Hye Song is definitely that type of owner and operator. Don't tell me it doesn't matter how long she was there, she EARNED her clientele and complied with all of Zan's tall orders to meet his standards. Now D'amore, like a patient vulture, seized the opportunity, but will have to meet a tall order himself to get any clients there besides you and whomever. Who are you to judge us by zipcode? You obviously have no idea who you are talking to. I started out working two and three jobs, toiling endlessly for years. With the help of people like Hye Song, was able to make more money. Many a time I had Point Pizza to thank for giving me work just to have some kind of money to put in the gas tank. Many of us whom worked there as working class kids are at the center of some real hard-won success stories. But here we are, listening to you tell us that we have nothing worth fighting for and standing up for because of our zipcode and we should be above compassion and principle. Get lost, dude! lol
The only reason they even succeeded is because there was very little competition, otherwise they would have been out of business 24 years ago. They didn't build any clientele because of their product, they are just in the best location.
Their location is extremely convenient and the only reason they lasted so long. A much better restaurant is moving in and will be better for everybody.
Are you here to add to the conversation or just to be a dick? Seems like the latter.