Renovations are underway at a fire-damaged pupuseria in the Ashton Heights neighborhood, with the goal of reopening this summer.
Pupuseria Doña Azucena has been shuttered at 71 N. Glebe Road since August 2024, when a fire at the strip mall ravaged the space, requiring structural repairs. An exact reopening date has not been set, but “we’re aiming for the second week of June,” owner Heriberto Hernandez said.
“We just appreciate the community being patient with us. I feel like there’s a lot of excitement for us to reopen,” Hernandez said. “I appreciate people not giving up on us, because I expected us to be open a lot sooner.”
Pupuseria Doña Azucena first opened on N. Glebe Road in 1999. It was the family-owned chain’s first location in Virginia, Hernandez said. Today, it has five other locations across Northern Virginia and Maryland.
“I feel like we’re kind of a cornerstone of the Hispanic community in Arlington, especially with a lot of gentrification going on around Ballston and the downtown area,” Hernandez said. “For me, it’s very important to provide a safe space for my community and Salvadorans to come eat. We try to keep it affordable and culture-centered, and as authentic as possible.”
Reopening is “not really about the money” for Hernandez — instead, he said his return to the area holds more sentimental value, “especially right now with the political climate in the country.”
The surrounding Buckingham neighborhood is historically home to thousands of Latin American immigrants and families. Last spring, ARLnow reported on an attempted immigration raid at an apartment complex in the area, which left immigrant residents fearful for their safety.
Since then, a “stumbling sticker” memorializing another ICE raid has appeared outside the neighborhood’s Glebe Market grocery store. The stickers are placed by a South Arlington church that keeps record of ICE activity in the county.
Crews were seen completing work at the pupuseria this week. A permit application filed in February on behalf of the pupuseria calls for repairs, including upgraded restrooms and a larger exterior door.
