The Northern California city of Pacifica said on June 12 it is working to stabilize the area around Pacifica Pier, days after Chit Chat Cafe, which sat at the base of the pier, was demolished.

The city said it is placing a rock revetment on the beach at the pier abutment. Although cracked and damaged, the pier is standing.

Both the pier and the cafe were closed indefinitely on June 4 after rough swells had caused cracking and separation. Pacifica Director of Emergency Services Sean Charpentier declared a local emergency on June 5 as surf and swells continued to damage the pier abutment and walkway.

Pacifica, home to around 37,000 people, sits between San Francisco and Half Moon Bay in the Northern San Mateo County.

“This news has been devastating for Ginger Davis and Branden Jenkins, the dedicated owners of the Chit Chat Cafe. They have poured their hearts and resources into this space,” local Cindy Abbott said on a GoFundMe page she organized for the owners.

Abbott said in a June 8 update that the sinking pier and Chit Chat Cafe’s conditions were worsening, with large cracks in the building, window frames bending, and the most scenic room shifting toward the ocean.

On June 9, the day of the demolition, she said workers were able to retrieve a few pieces of personal memorabilia for the owners because Davis and Jenkins were not allowed to go in the building to recover any belongings after the initial shutdown.

“The sound of crunching as the walls came down and glass tinkling could be heard. The gentle sounds of the surf in the background. And the stories of folks sharing Chit Chat Cafe and Pier memories. And, now those beautiful memories are what all have,” Abbott said.

More than $30,000 was raised for the owners as of June 13, and Abbott said it is unclear how much they will be able to recover from insurance as they face ongoing expenses, including as staff salaries.

“Now that we watched the demolition, we’re starting to process the loss,” Davis and Jenkins said in a statement that Abbott shared on June 10. “After a couple days we'll be ready to share next steps in our journey, and new ways we plan on growing and fostering our Pacifica community at our other location.”

The cafe, founded in 2006, has another location in Pacifica at 5 West Manor Drive, which also overlooks the ocean.

The L-shaped pier was built in 1973 on Sharp Park Beach, in part to support the city’s sewer outfall line, which is no longer in use. The city said the pier has been closed for repairs and reopened multiple times in the last decade.