As tropical storm Debby casts a grey veil over their heads on a summer afternoon, two young men seek shelter under a large, slanted awning. One protects himself from the rain with his green umbrella, while the other’s white T-shirt is covered in fresh drops.
Their refuge? Surprisingly, a food truck park.
Named after the infamous bridge Across Gregson Street, where many food trucks have lost their tops, Can Opener is a hive of activity despite the gloomy weather forecast. Couples and colleagues order their food on iPads placed outside each food truck before sitting down at one of the round wooden picnic tables.
Weather resistance was a top priority when designing the park, says Joe Choi, one of the co-founders of Can Opener and – along with Bo Kwon and Charlie Ji – co-owner of the Korean BBQ and fusion truck Bulkogi.
“The most important thing we discussed from the beginning is to make sure the trucks are covered so that people can access the trucks even when it’s raining,” Choi said. “From a customer experience perspective, it dampens the mood at the food truck park when people can’t get to the food without getting wet.”
Choi founded Can Opener with partners Gus Megaloudis and Ernest Harris.
Megaloudis co-owns and operates Gussy’s food truck with his wife Yael Megaloudis and son Demo Megaloudis. The truck, also known as The Greek Devil, offers Greek specialties from gyros pitas to souvlaki platters.
Harris also runs his food truck with his wife, co-owner Queen Harris. The bright red and yellow Chick-N-Que truck serves chopped grilled chicken made from a “guarded family recipe,” the company’s website says.
In addition to the founders’ three eateries, Can Opener also features the Queen Eggxpress food truck, which serves breakfast, and a bright purple double-decker bus that houses Andia’s Ice Cream, a Triangle-based ice cream company.
The founders had been discussing the park for some time, but after a series of successful “Food Truck Flix” events during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Can Opener became a real possibility, Choi and Harris said.
From June 2020 to April 2021, the trio organized a series of drive-in theaters with various vendors and donated the proceeds to various local charities. With the group meeting almost every day to support the “Flix,” plans for the park came to fruition.
As the storm intensifies on Tuesday, many of Can Opener’s customers sit at picnic tables under the awning and watch the pouring rain, while others rise from their seats to peek under the canopy and watch the darkening sky.
The bright reds, yellows and blues of the food trucks – and the rows of fairy lights above them – add color to the dreary day. The comforting aromas of falafel wraps, fried chicken sandwiches and Korean BBQ tacos waft through the air. Weezer’s “Say it Ain’t So” plays to the rhythm of the rain drumming on the roof and the murmur of conversation.
A guest eating al fresco has had enough of the storm and moves to Can Opener’s spacious indoor area, where the menu combines classics and Instagram-worthy dishes: cappuccino, green tea and craft beer alongside toasted coconut latte, jasmine tea with blue milk and Poppi Prebiotic Soda.
The former Tobacco Workers International Union Local 176 building retains elements of industrial architecture while incorporating modern design. The chairs are upholstered in neon green and blue velvet, and a large bar decorated with yellow tiles forms the centerpiece of the space.
Happy, a Yorkie weighing less than 10 pounds, sits obediently on a chair at a center table, wearing a harness that matches the blue accents in the room.
Of the design, Choi said, “We also wanted to make sure it wasn’t too formulaic. It had to be different because this is Durham and this is North Carolina…”
Something different: a cheerful restaurant named after a chaotic bridge, an outdoor experience that can withstand a tropical storm.
“I want to say there is no such thing,” Choi added.
Pictured above: Demo Megaloudis at Gussy’s, one of the food trucks at Can Opener, Durham’s new food truck park.
