State Route 76 has reopened in both directions after Cal Fire crews battled flames that burned both a small Pauma Valley grocery store and restaurant on Saturday morning, according to Caltrans San Diego.
Bright orange flames and dark smoke could be seen rising high into the sky around 7:50 a.m. from the back of Pauma Valley Trading Center and Mexican restaurant, El Rey, located at Highway 76 and Pauma Valley Road on the Pauma Indian Reservation in far north San Diego County.
By 10:33 a.m., firefighters had knocked down the fire and confined it to the building of origin, according to Cal Fire San Diego.
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SR-76 was closed for several hours from Cole Grade Road to Valley Center Road as firefighters stayed to clean up.
Yelp reviewers describe Pauma Valley Trading Center as a small, well-stocked and friendly market in an area with few grocers.
El Rey was known by Yelp visitors as a relaxing, "old school" Mexican restaurant with good food, service and decor.
Owner reacts to watching his business burn
Owner Servando Cueva said he was just arriving to his store on Saturday morning when he saw smoke billowing from his store.
Cueva told NBC 7 he had to laugh to keep from crying while watching in disbelief as his nearly 50-years of hard work went up in flames.
"It's a dream and I'm going to wake up, but everyone is okay, my family is okay. That's all that matters," Cueva said.
For decades, the store has helped migrant farmers and workers, like Tony Bolado. He and other people in the farming community came to give a hug and show their support to the store's owner, who they say helped take care of them and their families.
"He is the fiber of our community, always has been. A lot of migrant farmers come and depend on the store for sustenance everyday. We all appreciate what he does," Bolado said.
"We have a lot of farm workers cash checks, if they need credit, I give them credit. They say, can I pay you when I get my check? Of course. Not too many places would do that," owner Cueva said.
Cueva's son Alberto says he was in shock when he learned about the fire and is still processing it all.
"I've been working at the store and been here since the age of 4, so I hope to keep going and be here for another 30 or more years. Hopefully my kids can keep it going as well, and we'll be here forever," he said.
Cueva says he plans to rebuild so he can continue serving the community. The family expects the rebuilding process to take around two years.
Shortly after the fire, a GoFundMe campaign had already been set up to help Cueva rebuild.
No injuries were reported from the fire. The owner believes the fire may have started from the store's electrical panels or a cooler. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Few grocery stores in Pauma, several produce stands
Pauma Valley Trading Center was the only grocery store on the Pauma Indian Reservation and one the only ones in the area.
Now, Rincon Market is the closest grocery store to the burned ruins of Pauma Valley Trading Center, which is about 2.5 miles away from Trading Center and located on the next reservation over, Rincon.
While the area has few grocery stores, several produce stands are open such as Lili's Fruit Stand, Alexa Produce, Pauma Valley Fruit Stand and more — all on Highway 76.
Being in a highly agricultural area, the stands sell items like fruit, honey, nuts, eggs and more.
