Wagshal’s Newest Location Fully Operational

One of Washington’s most anticipated openings of 2013 was that of the 88-year-old family-run artisanal specialty market and delicatessen, Wagshal’s. After a soft opening this summer, the newest addition to the Wagshal’s Family of Fine Foods is now fully operational. 

Known for years as the presidents’ deli and for serving the who’s who of Washington its award-winning brisket sandwich, Wagshal’s new 4,000-square-foot eatery filled an empty space once occupied by the upscale grocer Balducci’s.

Proprietor Bill Fuchs sited the store in the Washington neighborhood locally referred to as Wesley Heights, which is home to American University. For years, Fuchs was courted to take over the space. Finally, after dividing up the 16,000-square-foot retail space into smaller spaces, Fuchs agreed. 

The project has been under way for several years and is the compilation of many years of ideas and the vision of Fuchs. The first Wagshal’s delicatessen location originated in 1925 in a small strip mall on Massachusetts Avenue. In 1995, Wagshal’s opened a market on the other side of that shopping center. The new location on New Mexico Avenue serves as a 21st century Wagshal’s as it brings together both the historic delicatessen and the market/butcher locations, incorporating everything customers have come to expect and love from the current Wagshal’s and more. 

Customers will still find their same favorites in the prepared foods area, including freshly made sandwiches, seasonal soups and salads, pastries from Wagshal’s Europe-trained pastry chef, cakes for all occasions, hand-decorated cookies and Wagshal’s premier frozen prepared dinner line, Spring Valley Meals.

In the market area, the new Wagshal’s offers a butcher shop with prime grass-fed beef and free-range poultry, sustainable and local fresh seafood, specialty foods from small-batch local purveyors, and organic produce.

New to the New Mexico Avenue location are a restaurant area serving hot family meals, grilled burgers and hot dogs, homemade gelato, and beer and wine by the glass. There is an everything pickled bar by the pound and a salad creation station in the restaurant area. The store also has an in-house bread program and well-stocked charcuterie department.