At the southernmost edge of San Pedro's coast, tucked away on a residential block near Point Fermin Park, sit the bones of Walker's Cafe, once a bustling cultural hub where families, longshoremen, merchant marines and motorcycle riders gathered for burgers and cold beers.
The married couple opened Walker's Cafe with an expanded dining room in what was previously an attached apartment and operated the restaurant together until Walker's death in 1953, when Petersen's sister stepped in to assist, the report states. Petersen 'established herself as a fixture of community life in San Pedro, known for providing meals to anyone regardless of their ability to pay,' according to the report.