Pierpont Beach businesses welcome visitors for New Year’s Eve despite disastrous rogue wave from Thursday

VENTURA, Calif.—When a rogue wave came crashing through this street right here, it swept away multiple people and even got into businesses.

But business is still picking up in places like Duke’s despite it being New Year’s Eve.

“ We thought it was going to be super slow because like, you know, like the ways people are not going to come out by now, this has been pretty good, pretty busy and stuff,” says Duke’s server Violet Vargas.

Though Duke’s is a beloved spot for many locals, the restaurant is serving people from all over on New Year’s Eve after the viral video that made many want to check out the aftermath of the high surf.

“We decided to make it our New Year's plan come down here. And yeah, it was just crazy, like, to actually be standing there like the footage. It doesn't really put it in perspective. Like how much like that wall actually separates from the beach. So it kind of puts it all in perspective. You're like, Holy heck, that was a huge wave,” said Wyatt Karem, who drove up to Ventura from Woodland Hills.

Many of the workers at Duke’s who escaped the rogue wave before getting hurt say the widespread news coverage of the incident has turned them into local celebrities.

Ty Miller, Works at Duke’s
“There's definitely more people down here,” said local and Duke’s server Ty Miller.

“I've had a few people come to stop by and get a drink and they had saw me on the news and so they came in for that,” said Duke’s server Jeffrey Wright.

Though restoration efforts are underway for multiple beachfront properties, it looks like worker’s at duke’s are ringing in the new year thankful that they’ve been able to stay afloat.