Po Siam to Close June 30

Longtime Mount Vernon Avenue Thai food restaurant Po Siam will close June 30 after more than 25 years in Arlandria.

“We would like to thank all of our customers (who have become close friends and family) for all of your love and support throughout the years! Well will miss you all!,” reads a note posted on the door of the restaurant.

Owner Nirum “Nicky” Vongpukkeaw filed a change of ownership application with the city for a new restaurant at 3807 Mount Vernon Ave. Vongpukkeaw will still own the building but is handing the restaurant over to Sheela and Stanley Perera, owners of the Subway in the Mount Vernon Village Shopping Center.

The Pereras will reportedly open a Sri Lankan-Indian restaurant in the Po Siam space, according to personnel at the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership.

“We're sad to see Po Siam go,” Kevin Beekman wrote on The Arlandrian. “We have fond memories of many meals there and Nicky has always been a good friend, and we wish him well. He's worked hard and deserves a break. And this news is bittersweet as we're more than a little excited to see what the future has in store for the Pereras' new venture.”

The Arlandria-Chirilagua Business Association will hold a meeting at Po Siam next week to discuss Four Mile Run Park, the abandonment of the Del Ray-Arlandria Trolley Project and the stalled plans for redeveloping the Mount Vernon Village Center. Vongpukkeaw and the Pereras are both active members in the ACBA.