Lake Ave. merchants trying to cope with blackout on major shopping day

Pictured: Webster’s Fine Stationers staffer Aaron Akers works in a darkened store.  What lights the store is getting come from a gasoline generator that is being used by Webster’s Community Pharmacy next door.

The tree that fell over on Maiden Lane last night knocked out the power in a sizeable section of Altadena, including businesses on the east side of Lake Ave. — right on a big holiday purchase day.

Webster’s Community Pharmacy reports that they have a generator that is supplying some lights, but that they’re handling purchases on paper.  Likewise, Webster’s Fine Stationers is also recording purchases on paper, but they’re borrowing some power from the pharmacy and are waiting on a generator from Altadena Hardware (if they can get it going, which seems to be a problem).

Lori Webster at the stationers said that the store has been losing sales in recent days from the massive rainfall — and now from the power outage at a critical time of year for the gift business.

Meanwhile, on Maiden Lane, even though the Southern California Edison website says power will be restored by 6 PM, crewmen onsite say that realistically the lights may not be on until tomorrow morning.  Crews are in the process of replacing six poles that were damaged by the fall of the massive tree last night, across the street from Sahag-Mesrob Armenian Christian School.  Power is still out for hundreds of residents in an area that stretches from Altadena Dr. to Mendocino, and Lake to Ganesha.

PIctured: Southern California Edison crews are working to restore power after last night’s treefall on Maiden Lane.