Despite a city recommendation for residents to stay home, people are driving throughout Sierra Madre, gathering at Bean Town to trade storm stories, and photographing the widespread damage in town.

A few businesses are making a go at opening their doors. Bean Town and Ruiz’s Shoe Repair have their doors open, and a generator is powering Taylor’s Ol’ Fashioned Meat, but as of 11 a.m. the store remained closed to customers. Taylor’s will try to open later today.

“I have never seen anything of this magnitude hit the community,” said Matt Krantz, owner of Bean Town, who is powering his store with three generators and serving coffee, tea and pastries.

“Somebody’s gotta be open right?  We’re running coffee and pastries to the city crews,” said Krantz. 

See photos of the damage in Sierra Madre

Author and Sierra Madre residents Chip Jacobs was at Bean Town this morning. “I’m alive,” Jacobs said. “We’re all doing ok, it’s just trees. I haven’t seen anything like this since I was a kid here in Pasadena a long time ago. It was our version of a hurricane,” said Jacobs. “Not a good day to be a tree,” he added.

George and Cathy Allen were seated outside Bean Town despite the occasional wind gust whipping down Baldwin Ave. 

“It was scary,” said Cathy Allen of the winds moving in last night. “We went and slept on the living room floor because you can hear the trees breaking outside. I was afraid they were going to come through the bedroom window.”

The Allens have lived in Sierra Madre since 1986 and say this is just about the worst they’ve ever seen the Santa Ana winds.

Storefronts sustained damage along Baldwin Ave. An awning was ripped off of Angels Everywear, and Bean Town was no match for the winds either.

"We lost some signage, we lost a light and the awning tore up a bit but other than that we’re here. Bumps and bruises,” said Krantz.

 “I could sit at home and not do anything but I’d rather be here trying to keep everybody together and keep the sense of community that Sierra Madre is basically founded on.”

What to expect tonight and tomorrow: Mayor: Worst is Not Over Yet

Local blogger John Crawford posted his storm story "Rancho Apocalypse" on The Sierra Madre Tattler