The last Armand’s Pizzeria is closing after 51 years

David Chaconas’ family has made Armand’s Pizzeria & Grille their go-to place for family meals for almost five decades.

“I have Armand’s on speed dial,” he said at the Rockville restaurant, days before it serves its last slice on Saturday.

Armand’s has been a D.C.-area staple for 51 years, since Lew Newmyer opened its first location in Washington’s Tenleytown neighborhood in 1975.

At its peak, the chain operated 14 locations across D.C., Maryland and Virginia. An Armand’s in Bethany Beach, Delaware — Armand’s Bistro & Pizza — was once part of the franchise but is now independently owned.

The Rockville location, on Halpine Road off Rockville Pike, opened in 1988 and is the last remaining Armand’s franchise, which catered to families, businesspeople on lunch breaks and peewee soccer teams celebrating the end of the season.

The Chaconases — David, his wife Lisa and their adult daughter Kelsey — were among many this week enjoying a last meal at the cozy pizza joint, which features a mural depicting Armand’s founder and a television usually set to sports. Best known for its Chicago-style deep-dish pizza, its menu also includes sandwiches, pastas, calzones and salads.

David and Lisa Chaconas have been eating at Armand’s since the 1970s, starting at the Tenleytown location, and they used to take advantage of the $20 date special: an all-you-can-eat salad bar, a deep-dish pizza, two sodas, and two movie tickets to a local theater.

Their daughter also became a loyal Armand’s customer.

“Even if it was a bad day, when you came in here, you just felt so happy,” said their daughter.

Armand’s co-owners Jim Hrozencik and Chris Sappe said they are shutting down because they could not afford the latest rent increase.

“To every customer who walked through our doors, every employee who wore an Armand’s shirt, every family who made us part of their traditions, and every member of our community who supported local business — thank you," they wrote in an Instagram post announcing the closure.

“You are the reason our story lasted 51 incredible years.”

They told The Banner they tried to keep the business going.

“We really wanted to give it to someone we trust to keep the original concept, and we just couldn’t find the right person,” Sappe said.

The restaurant’s equipment, including a 1986 Toyota delivery truck emblazoned with Armand’s logo and listed for $460, was put up for auction. Bidding closed Friday. The owners said they are donating leftover food to a local food bank.

Hrozencik, who has worked for nearly 30 years at Armand’s locations, said customers have flooded the restaurant in its final week, including one who drove nearly three hours from Delaware to say goodbye.

“These hard days are hard, but the love is there, and I’ll take that with me forever,” he said.