A city worker and an Arlington firefighter look at the remains of businesses Aug. 18 after a fire in West Arlington. Several businesses were destroyed.
On Monday evening a fire in West Arlington damaged several businesses, including Beirut Grill, Smash Toast and Folklore Grove Bookstore.
The fire occurred on the 2400 block of W. Abram Street and resulted in a four-alarm response from the Arlington Fire Department, which saw the deployment of 13 engines, four ladder trucks and more than 80 firefighters.
No civilian injuries were reported. One firefighter was transported for smoke inhalation and is in stable condition, according to an Arlington Fire Department news release.
The fire was dispatched at approximately 5:46 p.m. Monday, according to the release. It was brought under control at approximately 7:40 p.m.
Abbas Fares, one of the owners of Beirut Grill, said the restaurant was closed on Mondays and he learned of the fire around 5 p.m. Monday.
“I received a call from one of my friends,” Fares said.
He was shopping at the time of the phone call letting him know about the fire, and he left to see the restaurant.
“What we see right now, all our memories, all our hard work is gone,” Fares said.
Originally a restaurant in Fort Worth, Beirut Grill moved to Arlington 4.5 years ago for a “bigger opportunity,” Fares said.
Smash Toast, like Beirut Grill, was an independent business, and it served as a sandwich shop with a bookstore called Folklore Grove inside. The restaurant and bookshop opened in September 2025 and offered events for residents like book clubs and trivia nights.
Folklore Grove bookseller Brittany Rodriquez learned of the fire by a phone call, as well.
“I tried to come this morning, but I got a little too overwhelmed,” Rodriquez said. “I came back with my friends so we could grieve together.”
Folklore Grove and Beirut Grill are launching GoFundMe accounts to raise funds after the fire.
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